The Bond Of Fate - DracoxHermione

Chapter Nineteen

Draco walked with Hermione back to the Great Hall. They reached the door and he hesitated as the animated chatter of students reached them. Hermione paled.

"Maybe we should just go back to the common room?" he said in a low voice. She nodded, her eyes skimming the Gryffindor table nervously and fell on the back of her friends' heads. Guessing she didn't have the strength to hold a conversation with anybody, Draco hurried over to the Slytherin table and grabbed several Cornish pasties. Silently praying that Zabini, who was still at the table with his friends, wouldn't notice him, he snuck back towards Hermione, who was waiting by the door.

She seemed lost, eyes unfocused and Draco placed a hand on her lower back, guiding her softly. As they turned to leave, he locked eyes with Potter, who had apparently been watching them from the Gryffindor table. He frowned and Draco cursed under his breath. The last thing he needed was for Potter to get involved.

They walked back to the common room slowly, he kept eyeing Hermione, worried she'd faint in the middle of the corridor. Her face was drained of color and she seemed to walk without really paying attention to where she was going.

He wondered what McGonagall had told her that had caused her to have such a massive panic attack.

Had it been something about their bond?

He'd felt her anxiety, she'd sent it plummeting through the bond, as well as her fear and a tad of claustrophobia, but now bond was limp and practically numb. He tugged on it lightly with his mind, but it felt like there was no one on the other side.

They stepped into the common room and Draco was about to ask her if she wanted to lie down for a bit when Harry Ron Ginny and the French girl stepped in behind them.

"Everything okay?" Potter asked, a dangerous edge to his voice as he eyed Hermione. She gave him a soft smile and nodded unconvincingly.

"She's perfectly fine, Potter," he said, but Hermione seemed to be set on fainting and she swayed dangerously. In an instant, Ron and Ginny were on either side of her, helping her towards a sofa. Draco watched them take her from where he was standing stone-faced. However, he gave the bond a mental tug and was relieved to feel Hermione flicker on the other end of it.

"What happened?" Potter asked.

"None of your business," Draco muttered, and he turned to leave. Potter put a hand on his chest, stopping him. Giving him a murderous look, Draco shoved his hand away but stood his ground. If Potter wanted a fight, then he was perfectly happy to give him one. He had been itching for a proper duel for months.

"Did you do something to her?" he asked, and Draco saw his wand hand twitch.

"No, Potter. Surprisingly, I don't go around trying to hurt everyone that crosses my bloody path," he snapped, annoyed, "I'm willing to make an exception for you though."

Harry drew his wand and Draco pulled his out too, but neither one lifted their arms. They held their wands at their sides, ready to react.

"Eez everything okay?" a soft voice said from behind Harry. Draco blinked as he noticed Gabrielle Delacour standing there for the first time. He shoved his wand back into his pocket and gave the girl one of his most charming smiles.

"Of course," he said, "would you like to sit?"

He signalled at some empty sofas by another fireplace and Gabrielle's eyes glimmered as she nodded. Draco extended his hand for her and she took it, gracefully. With his other hand, he shoved the Cornish pasties into Harry's arms.

"Give her these, McGonagall says she needs to eat," he muttered before guiding Gabrielle towards the fireplace. Harry watched him baffled, before walking over to where Ron, and Ginny were fussing over Hermione and handing her the pasties.