The Dark Lords Protégé

Chapter Twenty-Five

We were almost done for the year. I completed my course work and we had accomplished all we needed to for the year. I was ready for this summer. I was ready. But so tired. Severus and I rarely saw each other. As well as Draco. I never saw him. Except for flashes of brilliant white hair in the halls. Pansy blamed me in her own way. She knew it wasn't truly my fault but really my fathers. She didn't know the whole truth but enough. Enough to be scared. My job was to let a few death eaters into hogwarts. And they would complete the plan. Them and Draco.

A hand caught the sleeve of my uniform and I turned to see Severus looking down at me sadly, with Pansy standing shakily next to him.

"What's going-"

"Not here Miss Riddle". He murmurs nodding his head in the direction of the dungeons subtly.

What were they here for? What did they want? What was wrong?

We all quickly made our way to his office without a word and without a witness in our path. We all filed in and he shut and locked the door after us and sat down at his big desk sighing softly. We both sat in the green plush chairs in front of the desk. I finally chanced a glance at Pansy and took a sharp intake of breathe. She looked deathly. She looked so ill and tired and not the pure blood princess I remember.

"What's going on? Pansy...what happened?"

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" Pansy mutters, her hands wringing tightly in her lap as she stared straight ahead at nothing.

"Severus?" I murmur, meeting his gaze.

"It is to be tonight Hermione. Your father has instructed me to remind you to do your duty. No matter the cost." He says glancing meaningfully at Pansy.

Oh. She's a liability. She's the kink in the plan. I look once more at Pansy and let out a shaky breathe. I get up and smooth my skirt before kneeling in front of Pansy's chair. She still refuses to meet my gaze and instead stares just right above my head. I take her hands in mine and squeeze them lightly.

"Pansy? Darling? Pansy please look at me..." I plead squeezing her hands in mine.

"How can I? How can I look at you? When I do all I see is him. All I can see when I look at you is the man whose killing my Draco." She growls wrenching her hands out of mine and standing up, almost knocking me over in her hurry.

"No please wait Pansy. Please. All I wanted was to keep you and Draco safe. You guys are my family..." I plead following her and blocking off her path to the door.

"Hermione...I don't understand. What is Draco doing? Why won't he talk to me? He won't even look at me anymore!" She sobs into her hands, gasping loudly with each sob.

"Shhhh. Hush now Pansy. It'll be okay. I promise you. Everything will be okay. I'll make everything okay". I murmur taking her hands once more in mine.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Will you do something for me?" She murmurs sniffling slightly.

"I'll do anything for you" I murmur as she brings me into a hug.

Her head turns and she whispers softly into my ear so Severus can't hear.

"If Draco doesn't survive the night. Kill me."

She steps away and squeezes my hands in hers and smiles slightly at me, but her smile is broken and doesn't quite reach her eyes. But her love does.

I nod. And she goes to walk past me but I whisper something small and quiet and she drops to the floor, asleep. I quickly scoop her up and lay her on the sofa. She looks so peaceful while she sleeps. Not a worry in the world.