A Reason To Be

Draco rushed down Platform 9 and ¾ carrying Hermione’s limp body in his arms. He was yelling for someone; anyone to help him. To help her. Everyone’s attention had been grabbed, including Harry and Ron’s. They saw the blonde young man carrying their friend in his arms. The image enraged then both.

‘What did that bastard do to her?!?!’ Ron fumed as he and Harry ran over to Draco.

“What the fuck did you do?!?!” Harry yelled when he reached Draco. He reached over and tried to take the young woman from Malfoy but Draco yanked her away from them both. His eyes were on fire as he turned to them, never ceasing to move down the platform.

“FUCK OFF POTTER!” Draco roared. Harry and Ron jumped at the severity of Malfoy’s voice. They had heard him angry but this was on a whole other level. Draco kept moving until finally he found Professor Hallimer. By now everyone was watching, everyone except four certain people who had opted not to get off the train when the commotion began.

Draco explained urgently to the professor where he had found her and that she would not wake up, all the while grasping Hermione securely against his chest. It looked as if it would take several men the size of Hagrid to wrestle her away from him. Professor Hallimer thought quickly and told a fellow chaperone that they were to take the other students home by way of the Hogwarts Express. Professor Hallimer would use a portkey to transport himself and Hermione to Hogwarts immediately.

“You can’t come with us Mr. Malfoy, give her to me.” The middle-aged man stated gently. Draco didn’t budge at first. He looked down at Hermione’s face and his brow creased with worry. A moment later he swallowed, nodded silently and handed the girl over to the professor as carefully as he could. Moments later, Hermione and Professor Hallimer vanished. Draco stood still, looking at the place where the two had been just seconds before. Then a hand touched his shoulder and Draco whipped around to find Blaise behind him.

“Here…I grabbed your stuff from the alley.” Blaise said, handing the shopping bags to their owner. Draco looked down and at the proffered bags. Draco nodded but said nothing. He took the bags and started walking towards the train.

The whistle sounded and Draco pushed his way through the train, looking for an empty compartment. As he made his way down the aisle, he glanced in each compartment to find an empty one. It was then when something clicked. He found himself looking in at Pansy, Millicent, Crabbe and Goyle all talking cheerfully amongst themselves, smiles on each of their faces. He instantly knew. Draco growled and flung open the door to their compartment. He entered and glared at all the occupants. He reached behind him and without looking away from the four Slytherin students he slammed the door shut again.

“Why Draco, whatever is the matter?” Pansy asked sweetly. If looks could kill, the four would have been buried by now. Draco looked around to each of them, one expression as mockingly innocent as the last. Angry, evil thoughts raced through his head. Thoughts of what he could do to them, what they had done to Hermione.

“I have fucking lost count of how many things are wrong with you and what you have done!!!” Draco roared at them. His voice seemed thunderous in the tiny train compartment.

“What do you mean Draco, what did we do?” Millicent asked. She didn’t even make an effort to conceal her glee. Draco lounged forward and grabbed hold of her shoulders painfully hard.

“Bitch, you know exactly what I mean!” Draco growled, shaking her as he spoke. Then he let go of her just as quickly as he had grasped her. He stood back up and backed up until his back was pressed against the glass door.

“Let’s review, shall we? First of all, it was four against one. How sporting of you.” Draco bit out angrily. Then he turned and pointed to his former henchmen.

“And you two! I know a doorknob has a greater intellect than the two of you disgusting apes combined. I don’t know which is worse, the fact that you ganged up on a girl or that you are too fucking dense to know better!! You could have killed her! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU?!?!?!” Draco yelled at a frightened Crabbe and Goyle. That is when Pansy spoke up, drawing Draco’s attention.

“We didn’t kill her? Pity…Well if at first you don’t succeed…” Pansy whispered evilly, an equally evil smile on her horrible face. Draco expression was a horrified one, then his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared.

“You don’t get it, do you? We purebloods must stuck together, what I did was a favor to you Draco. Killing the mudblood whore was so simple an answer to your problem. I don’t know what spell she cast on you but we couldn’t have you consorting with that filth. What would your father say?” Pansy said smugly, feeling quite confident in herself even if she hadn’t been able to murder Hermione. Draco stared in disgust at Pansy.

“You’ve lost your mind…” Draco whispered venomously. The last comment about his father had been a low blow. He knew exactly what his father would have said and done. He would have showered Pansy in praise and beaten the hell out of Draco. Then the proverbial light switched on in Draco’s mind. Thoughts of his father had reminded him of something he had once learned from Lucius. Something that would be incredibly useful now. A smirk formed on Draco’s face.

“Alright Pansy, since it is just us purebloods here I’ll give you something even your feeble mind can wrap itself around. I invoke the right of custodia ab recolitus.” Malfoy announced in a loud, clear voice. The jaws in the train compartment dropped to the floor.

“You can’t do that!” Pansy cried desperately.

“I just did.” Draco replied in a low voice. The Draco whipped around and opened the door. He reached out and grabbed the first person who was walking past the door, which happened to be an unsuspecting Blaise Zabini. Draco grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him into the room. Blaise looked around confused, wondering what the hell was going on.

“You will bear witness; I invoke the right of custodia ab recolitus.” Draco stated strongly. Blaise frowned in confusion as he looked at Draco. When the words Malfoy had said registered, Blaise looked at Draco strangely.

“For who?” Blaise ventured to ask quietly.

“Hermione Granger.” Draco replied immediately. Blaise looked confused. He looked around at the other people in the room and then back at Draco Then a hint of realization shone through in his eyes. After a moment of silence Blaise nodded his head slightly.

“It is so noted.” Blaise assured Malfoy. Draco nodded to him and then flung the door open, pushed Blaise out into the aisle and shut the door again.

“You can’t use that to protect a mudblood!” Millicent injected as soon as the door of the compartment was closed. Draco turned and glared at her and then the Malfoy smirk appeared again.

“I can and I will. Hermione Granger is now under the absolute protection of the house of Malfoy. The law requires you to respect it.” Draco said triumphantly, inside he was thanking his luck stars that he had remembered something his father had told him long ago. Pansy stood up and looked at Draco dead in the face, a nasty look on her face.

“No other Malfoy will uphold it, it’s useless.” Pansy countered. She knew if Draco’s parents found out about this, they would be livid.

“Listen to what you are saying, you stupid bitch! I am the only Malfoy not in Azkaban or on the way there. They have nothing to say about it. You will abide by custodia ab recolitus or suffer the consequences.” Draco said smugly.

“The consequences?” Goyle asked, with panic in his voice. Draco turned and smiled darkly at them all.

“You violate it and I kill you. I reserve the right.” Draco growled at them, his eyes burning at them.

“You are bluffing, you don’t mean it.” Pansy retorted, crossing her arms across her chest. Draco only smiled triumphantly and opened the door to leave. Before he shut the door he whispered darkly to the four Slytherins.

“Try and you’ll find out.”