I Can See You But I Could Never Reach You

To ask or not to ask?

That night, Hermione couldn't sleep.

"Okay let's review this one more time-"

"Oh c'mon, 'Mione, we've done this dozens of times! We don't need a master plan. we xan work with what we've got; besides we've done this a million times! We don't need to go over it again-"

Hermione smacked Ron. "Our friend might be in danger!"

"For all you know he was involved!"

"Ronald Weasley! Didn't we agree no more of that bloody attitude when it comes to Draco?"

"Whatever," Ron said, kicking his legs up. "Say Harry, do you think McGonagall will know if I stay here tonight?"

Harry shrugged. "Ron's make a fair point, though. When has any of our plans actually worked?"

"Hermione is right, Harry. It's one thing to fight Death Eaters; its another to go into a Death Eater-infested rat hole!" Said Ginny. "We don't want to walk into something totally unprepared."

"Fine. But we need as much rest as we can if we're to leave tomorrow."

"Night. Tomorrow night Harry." Corrected Ginny.

Harry nodded. "That gives them enough time to make any effort to save Draco, that is, if he needs saving..."

Hermione sighed. Any and all efforts to make Ron serious about this turned to be futile. And besides, she wasn't even sure whether Draco was involved.

He couldn't have been, she thought. After all, he was even more shocked than I was.

She sighed as she tossed and turned. Till tomorrow night, it would be a long wait.

....

Alecto Carrow was angry. This was getting them nowhere.

She took a deep breath.

"Okay, young Malfoy. Tell me again. How many teachers are know that the Mudblood is in danger?" She asked.

Draco frowned slightly. He took the last sip from his glass of wine as the Malfoy family and a few of their Death Eater friends gathered.

"You need to be more specific," he said. "Which mud- muggle-born?"

Alecto clenched her glass. "Mudblood. The Granger. Potter's lackey."

Draco looked at his empty glass and asked for a refill. He didn't want to draw attention to her. But it seemed as if they were soley concerned about her.

"Granger? Ah, yes. A lot of people. Possibly the whole school."

Alecto and the other Death Eaters made angry noises.

"How the bloody hell did they come to know?"

"That bloody mudblood must have all the teachers protection!"

"Forget teachers! What about Potter's? She's his best friend!"

"Or maybe more."

Draco looked at Dolohov. "No, she isn't with Potter." He said, blatantly.

Dolohov raised his eyes. "It wouldn't matter even if she was with him. She's still practically untouchable right now."

"Maybe, but she doesn't feel for him that way."

Instantly, Draco knew saying that was a bad idea.

The room became silent.

Yaxley looked at Draco funnily. "And what's got your wand in a twist, Draco?"