Baton Rouge

- 44 -

Too late. Draco sighed softly, realizing that no one would get him out of his predicament in time. He was sure that each of the others had done their best to prevent what was about to happen, and yet it hadn't been good enough. Only one thing was reassuring: he wouldn't be actively witnessing his own death. The only thing he regretted was the fact that he would never know how Hermione had fared.

Hermione. It had been so hard to pull away from her and leave her. And that Hermione had acted so bravely hadn't made things any easier for Draco - quite the contrary. He would have loved to have hugged and kissed her for minutes to show her that he didn't want to leave her. But that wouldn't have helped either of them, so he had left in silence.

After they had Apparated to London, he had downed the Polyjuice Potion in an empty side street. Blaise had broken Draco's wand in two so he couldn't be identified too quickly. Then he had magically handcuffed him and pointed his own wand at him, though not without pulling him into a brief hug that had been uncomfortable for both of them but necessary nonetheless. After that, they had entered the Ministry of Magic through the visitors' entrance.

Blaise had been right about everything. It was almost ridiculous how accurately he had predicted everything that had happened next.

Umbridge had been delighted, of course, and that was probably even an understatement. She had let the alleged Potter suffer her Cruciatus first, which Draco hadn't been prepared for and which had drained all the color from Blaise's face. She had also immediately sent a message to the Dark Lord and (after another half hour of flagrant triumph) finally proclaimed that "this stroke of luck, the final capture of Harry Potter" would be shared with the magical community of Britain, before the Dark Lord himself would publicly execute Potter.

Draco, who had (in an unobserved moment) taken another sip of the Polyjuice Potion from the vial hidden in the hem of his sleeve, had almost choked on it in horror.

Blaise had acted markedly calm and composed, despite the concern in his eyes he hadn't been able to hide. He had told Umbridge the story of Potter's arrest that they had dreamed up, and just as Blaise had prognosticated, she had simply accepted it.

Draco had even had the impression that she basically hadn't given a fuck about how Blaise had managed to get the supposed Potter into the Ministry. All the Toad had obviously been interested in had been the good news she could break to her master. Because that was the only thing she had lived for in the last few years. It had even been understandable in a certain strange, twisted way. Still, everything had gone much more smoothly than they had dared to dream.

Eventually Umbridge had given the order to have him locked away. Blaise had stayed behind but had still had the presence of mind to ask Umbridge where they were taking him.

"Zabini," Umbridge had said reproachfully, sounding so outrageously happy that the hairs on the back of Draco's neck had stood up. "Isn't that obvious? We take him to the courtrooms in the basement. Then we let the Dementors do their work while the Dark Lord spreads this wonderful news. The Undesirable," she had paused and given Draco a sweet smile, "will soon no longer be undesired." She had patted his cheek almost gently.

And that was it.

Now he was lying here, already back in his own body. But that didn't matter because there was no one else in the room with him. Umbridge had probably left guards outside the closed door, but they certainly wouldn't check on him until she called for him.

Draco shivered as the Dementor descended on him. The bad memories and the pain that hit him made him almost faint. But it would be over soon. He wouldn't have to endure it much longer. He was just a kiss away from leaving all of it behind. If he could have, he would have laughed because the thought was so absurd.