Chapter 28: The Trap
Draco sat at the base of the steps, cradling his head in his hands. He still couldn't believe it had come to this, even after all of the unbelievable things that had happened that year.
This was the worst part, the waiting. It was unbearable. It forced him to be alone with his thoughts - and he couldn't imagine a worse fate than that.
"Theo."
Two days ago.
"Yeah?"
He hadn't even looked up. Of course, Draco had thought. Leave it to Theo to not recognize an important moment.
"I need to talk to you," Draco had said calmly. "It's important."
Theo's usual mask of amusement had slipped around the corners of his mouth and he'd blinked once, then twice, before reaching behind him to uncomfortably take a seat.
"Oh," Theo had said blankly, lowering himself. He'd looked as though he might laugh, perhaps as some kind of flimsy attempt to bring levity to the situation. Ultimately, of course, he'd failed. "I suppose I just forgot, what with you taking your sweet time about it," he'd said morosely. "For a minute there, I thought everything would be fine."
"Yeah," Draco had agreed, shrugging as he'd taken a seat beside his lanky, dark-haired friend. "Well, I'm an arse, so it's probably about time I got what's coming to me."
At that, Theo merely scowled at him. "You're not," he'd said, his voice clipped. His dark green eyes slid over Draco's face. "Do you need anything?"
Draco half-smiled. "I wonder what it says about me," he'd pondered aloud, "that you would even think to ask that." He'd shaken his head, grimacing. "I don't deserve it, you know," he'd remarked.
"Deserve what?"
He'd shrugged. "Your loyalty."
Theo had rolled his eyes dramatically. "Fuck off, Draco," he'd said, kicking his legs out and slouching down in the chair. "You're my brother."
At that, Draco hadn't been able to think of anything to say. He'd just bent his head, thoroughly humbled.
"What's the worst of it, do you think?" Theo had asked after a beat, even as he'd continued to stare ahead vacantly.
"The secrets," Draco replied easily. "The lies. That's the worst."
Theo had nodded, and they'd sat quietly together for several minutes, both wondering if it would be the last time. For his part, Draco had been angrily cursing himself. He was furious - furious that he'd wasted his time, wasted his life, chasing Potter and hunting for approval in all the wrong places. The whole time he could have done everything just a little bit differently. He could have spend that time cultivating a quiet dignity, like Theo. He could have just been a solitary loner, like Theo. He could have just been there, with Theo, who had been his brother the whole time.
"Now's the time, mate," Theo had said after a while, interrupting their mutual reverie. "If you've got anything to share – "
"Just make sure my parents are taken care of," Draco had responded simply, closing his eyes, and Theo had quietly murmured his assent.
Draco had sighed then, unable to resist making one final request.
"And – keep an eye on her, would you?"
He'd felt Theo nod beside him. "Sure," he'd said, placing his hand comfortingly on Draco's shoulder.
That was two days ago.
Then there'd been yesterday, and Draco's conversation with Snape.
"They're coming," Draco had said, his tone carefully free of emotion. "Tomorrow night. I need you to wait for them."
If Snape had seen any flaws in Draco's plan, he hadn't shared them. "And then?" he'd asked, his voice glossing smoothly over the words.
"Take them to the astronomy tower," Draco had instructed simply. "And don't let them stray."
Draco and Granger had come to agree on the tower because it was remote; it was, after all, the furthest corner in the castle from anywhere that students slept. It had taken some convincing, on his part.
"It leaves you vulnerable," she'd argued softly when he suggested it. She had still been fighting the inevitable. "You'll be isolated."
He'd nodded with certainty. "Perfect," he'd commented. "That's how it will need to be."
She'd glanced up at him worriedly. "Are you sure I can't – "
But he hadn't needed to hear it. "Yes," he'd stressed emphatically. "I'm sure."
Her pretty lips had slipped into a hesitant frown.
But Draco, of course, hadn't shared that with Snape. "I'll be waiting for you in the tower," Draco had added. "Hopefully."
The rest of the conversation had been unusual, to say the least. Snape had stood suddenly, knocking over several items on his desk and startling Draco. "You don't have to do this," Snape said vehemently. "Don't be a fool – "
"Bit late for that, Professor," Draco had replied angrily, biting back a harsher retort.
Snape's hooded eyes were more wild than Draco ever seen them.
"You're only a child, Draco – "
"How old were you, Professor, when you joined him?" Draco had spat back savagely. This was not the time. This was not the time for anyone to question him - least of all Severus Snape.
"Do not make the mistake of comparing yourself to me, Draco," Snape had responded bitterly. "I am no less a fool than you, believe me."
That was yesterday.
The clock in the astronomy tower began to chime and Draco jumped, reminded where he was.
Not long now, he thought, fingering his wand nervously.
Granger had offered to stay with him, and he wished he'd agreed. She'd come to him nervously that afternoon, panting and out of breath.
"He's going somewhere – with Harry," she'd choked out, reaching out to grip Draco's arms as he'd attempted to steady her.
"Slow down," he'd instructed gently. "There's no rush – "
She'd glared at him, silently scolding him for being so cavalier. "They'll be away from Hogwarts," she'd repeated. "I don't know where – but Harry will be there – you'll have to disarm Harry, too – "
Draco's temple had throbbed just thinking about the prospect of an additional obstacle. "Great – "
"You won't hurt him," she'd said intently, gripping his arms. "You won't hurt him, will you? Harry?"
"No," Draco had assured her. "I've no interest in Potter."
"Good," she'd breathed, letting her head fall forward as she released a heavy sigh of relief. "Promise me," she'd commanded, looking up to meet his eyes.
"I promise," he'd said, fighting to ignore the sharp pain in his chest that came from knowing she wouldn't be asking Potter to spare him.
That was silly of him, he'd thought immediately, rejecting his unreasonable feelings of envy. Of course she wanted to protect Potter - after all, she couldn't protect Draco – he'd specifically told her not to –
