“What do we have here?” gasps Umbridge, snatching Hermione’s bracelet so swiftly, she doesn’t realize until it’s too late.
Hermione’s breath catches in the back of throat. “Please, Professor, my grandmother gave me that!”
Umbridge dangles the chain by her fingertips like she might catch a disease. Her twinkling gaze shifts to Malfoy beside her. “Tell me, Draco, are students allowed to wear anything but uniform during school hours?”
He lifts his chin proudly. “No, they’re not.”
She purses her lips and raises a thin brow at Hermione. “This will be confiscated at once.”
“Please, it’s all I have left of her!”
“One more word and you’ll face suspension, young lady.”
Over tea, Umbridge prattles on to Malfoy about discipline and asks after his family. They’re at the other end of the room, lounging in pink armchairs in front of a wall of mewling kitten portraits.
Hermione rolls her eyes as she opens the top drawer of the desk, glad, at least, Umbridge is being kept busy. She rifles through the items with no luck and tries the next drawer.
Her eyes fill with tears as she shuts the second one and desperately scans the room for another hiding place. As she steps back, Harry’s Invisibility Cloak catches the corner of the desk and slips off her head.
She scrambles to cover herself, only to find Malfoy staring right at her, his eyes wide.
“What is it?” Umbridge begins to turn when Malfoy explodes into a coughing fit. Her attention darts back to him. “Alright, dear?”
Hermione frees the cloak and drapes it back over her head.
Malfoy makes a miraculous recovery. “Fine. Just choked on tea. Erm—it’s getting late and I have homework…”
Hermione waits for his departure before slipping out the open door.
She sprints down the corridor after him. “Malfoy!”
His slowing stride is the only indication he heard her.
“Why did you do that?” she demands, out of breath.
“No idea what you’re on about.”
“I know you saw me in there.”
He turns on her, incensed. “If you knew how she punished students—”
“I do know,” she says, thinking of the words etched in Harry’s skin.
“You are daft.” He shakes his head, walking again.
She jumps in front of him.
“Not until you answer me.”
He comes to a halt, his teeth clenched. “Call it a blip of insanity. Just like you being in that office.”
“I was in there because of—”
“This?” He draws her bracelet from his pocket. Her jaw clamps shut, her heartbeat exploding in her ears. “Take it.”
She opens her hand, and he drops it in her palm. Too easy. “What’s in it for you?”
“I—” He stops abruptly. “It’s nearly curfew. If I catch you roaming around, I’ll deduct fifty points from Gryffindor.” He takes off so quickly, she almost misses the flash of pink blooming on his cheekbones.
(491 words, prompt from twitter: I know you saw me)
