WHAT YOU DO TO ME | Draco Malfoy

Year Four - Part Nine

We had been working tirelessly to help Harry figure out his riddle in the library. Just because he had gotten the mystery behind the golden egg figured out, didn't mean he had learned anything substantial about the next task. He was running out of time and we had exhausted most of our options. The task was in the morning.

"Harry, tell me again." Hermione said as she paced back and forth.

"Come seek us where our voices sound." Harry recalled the riddle.

"The black lake." I had figured out the first part, and was reminding the group.

"That's obvious." Hermione added. She continued to pace, and Ron was just watching her with a dull, thoughtless expression on his face. He wasn't much help, he was more there for emotional support. The two of them had made up, we were all hanging out as one big group again.

"An hour long you'll have to look." Harry continued reciting.

"Again, obvious. Though, I must admit potentially problematic." Hermione said thoughtfully. I looked up from the strands of my hair that I had been playing with mindlessly to look at her.

"Potentially problematic?" Harry spat as he turned to face Hermione. "When was the last time you held your breath under the water for an hour, Hermione?"

"Harry, we're trying to help you. There's no need for the attitude." I scolded him. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, completely frustrated by the whole thing.

"Look Harry, we can do this. The four of us can figure it out." Hermione assured him. Ron, who had been absolutely no help at all nodded his head in agreement just as Mad-Eye Moody walked up to us all.

"Hate to break up this scholar session, but Professor McGonagall would like to see you in her office. Not you Potter, just these three." Moody's eye landed on me and I winced.

"But sir, the second task is only hours away and-" Hermione tried to protest.

"Exactly. Presumably Potter is well prepared by now and could do with a good night's sleep. Go. Now!" Moody chased us from the room.

The three of us scurried out of the library and headed towards McGonagall's office. "He still freaks me out." I shuddered once I knew we were far enough away that he wouldn't hear me.

"Yeah, he's completely mental. Funny, but mental." Ron said.

"He's definitely... unorthodox." Hermione said as she gave a very diplomatic answer.

"What do you think McGonagall wants, I wonder." I posed the question. "Bit weird to ask us to come see her this late at night."

"No clue. We didn't miss an assignment did we?" Hermione gasped.

"No, definitely not." I assured her. "Ronald, maybe. But not you or me."

"Hey!" Ron scowled. He paused and thought about it for a second, "Alright, maybe."

When we got to Minerva's office she was waiting outside nervously. "Come in, come in. Quickly." She beckoned us.

"What's going on, Professor?" I asked as we sat down around her table.

She shifted uncomfortably before she took a seat across from us.

"We need you three for the next task." She didn't bother beating around the bush.

"What?" Ron said as his jaw dropped.

"What do we have to do?" I asked as I looked around curiously. There was nothing in the room to give me any sort of indication as to what we would be doing. Nothing looked out of place.