Muddy Green Waters || Draco Malfoy

50 - Welcome Back, Slytherin

Rosie

"Come on, I've got something to show you," His silver grey eyes twinkled as he took my hand in his, our fingers intertwined, locked together. My feet followed him as I allowed him to lead me through the maze in the room of hidden things, my eyes never leaving his brilliant white blonde hair. "Where are you taking me?" I giggled, trying to keep up with his hurried, urgent pace. We rounded yet another pile of tottering furniture. "Shhh," he whispered, "Trust me, Rosie. Trust me."

"Argggh!"

Startled by the shout, I shot up from my sleep. Next to me in bed, Draco was bent over, clutching his left forearm.

"Draco?"

"They've called him," he gritted through his teeth.

My blood turned ice cold. "Who? Who called him?"

"Amycus. He's coming, Rosie. He's coming here to the castle."

And then, all of a sudden, a great booming voice filled the room around us, making both Draco and I jump with a start.

"Attention! All students and staff to report immediately to the Great Hall - THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS!"

Draco and I looked at each other, wordlessly. Snape.

"We need to get out of here," Draco said, leaping out of bed. He grabbed the scattered clothes off of the floor, tossing mine at me.

"But why are they calling him here?" I asked, hurriedly pulling my white t-shirt over my head.

"There's only one reason we are allowed to call him - and that reason is Potter." Buttoning up his shirt, his eyes met mine. "He must be here."

My heart leapt. They must have made it out of Gringotts.

I jumped up, now dressed and desperately trying to comb my fingers through my hair. "I've got to go and help him."

Draco paused in the process of shrugging on his jacket and looked at me. "We, Rosie. We're going to help him."

I studied him, thoughtfully. "Really?" I couldn't help but glance at the offending black cloak, strewn threateningly across the floor by the door. Draco's eyes followed mine.

"I'm on your side, Rosie. I always have been." He closed the space between us, grabbing both my hands in his and looked solemnly into my eyes. "You've got me, remember?"

I swallowed, nodding. Snape's voice boomed once again around us, repeating his order.

Draco dropped my hands and strode over to his wardrobe, grabbing what appeared to be a Slytherin robe.

"Here," He murmured, walking back over to me and helping to shrug it over my shoulders. "It'll help you to blend back in a bit."

He took a step back, looking me up and down in my Slytherin robes. I saw something flicker in his grey eyes, almost as if he was recalling something from the past.

"Everything ok?" I asked, gently.

"It's good to see you in those robes again," he smiled, stepping up to kiss me on my forehead. "Welcome back, Slytherin."

***

Taking Rosie's hand, Draco led her to the door, kicking his Death Eater cloak to the side. He carefully opened the door, looking out. Slytherin's were blearily making their way out of their dormitories, heading towards the common room exit.

"Come on, lets get to the Hall and see what's going on." He said, tugging a hesitant Rosie out of the room.

He knew she was worried for him; for being seen with her. But he didn't care anymore. He had no intention of letting go of Rosie ever again. He realised he would rather die than leave her side. She was everything to him. It had just taken him too bloody long to grasp that fact.

He pulled her through the common room, giving her hand a comforting squeeze when a couple of other Slytherin's shot them curious looks. None of them said anything though. Although, none of them said much to Draco these days, anyway. His recent position in the wizarding world had dramatically isolated him from the others.

They continued silently amongst the throngs of bewildered students, Draco holding tightly on to Rosie's hand through the maze of corridors and stairways that eventually led them to the Entrance Hall. Draco's heart started to hammer as they approached the doors to the Great Hall. He didn't know what to expect.

Snape was standing at front, waiting to address the mass of students who all stood in groups in their houses. Draco and Rosie stood behind the rest of the Slytherin's, glancing nervously at one another.

"Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour. It has come to my attention that earlier this evening... Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade." Snape looked around, eyeing the students with his beady eyes as a murmured thrill filled the Hall.

"I mention this in the hopes that truth will not be supplanted by rumour. For myself and a few select members of the staff this comes as little surprise. We have, for some time, considered Mr Potter's return to Hogwarts to be not only possible but inevitable. Consequently, in the past several months and under my specific direction, exhaustive defensive strategies have been employed to defeat any attempt Mr Potter might make to breach these walls. But know this. Should anyone - student or staff - attempt to aid Mr Potter, that person will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Rest assured: so long as I'm Headmaster at Hogwarts, Harry Potter will never again step foot in this castle."

The Slytherin's around them applauded. Seeing her horrified face, Draco pulled Rosie to him, snaking his arm around her waist protectively.

"Now then," Snape continued once the cheers died down. "If anyone here has knowledge of Mr Potter's movements this evening... I invite them to step forward now."

Snape's eyes raked the Hall - Draco tightened his arm around Rosie as they paused and narrowed on them. But before Snape could say anything, loud footsteps interrupted them from behind.

"I think I can help you out with that..."

Everyone swivelled around to see who the voice belonged to. And there he was. Potter. Draco felt Rosie let out a sigh of relief.

"It would seem that, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster."

And then, to Draco's utter bewilderment, others suddenly appeared behind Harry. People who he recognised as Voldemort's resisters.

"And I'm afraid it's rather extensive."

***