▬▬ seventeen; the owls.
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WAKING UP NEXT TO DRACO WAS THE CLOSURE SHE NEEDED. His arms were still wrapped around her from last night, and she laid almost entirely on top of him. At one point, she was afraid she'd be too heavy for him—but he had muttered in his sleep and brought her back into him with a satisfied smile. 

He looked so peaceful when he let down his guard like this, of course, it's cliché but she liked that side of him more. Lauren felt giggly inside, just like any other teenage girl would in the arms of their crush. Every gray cloud was washed away by the wind as soon as his lips had collided with hers last night. She didn't worry about the owl's, she didn't overthink anything, she wasn't scared of anything, everything was just so peaceful.

But all mornings end and the realization of the important tests today rushed her up from the carpet. The boy flew up with fearful eyes before he saw the girl rush around to find her pants and then tied her hair up in a new bun.

When she caught him just smiling at her she frowned, "Come on, get up! We have to sneak back before anyone notices us gone."

"Relax, Diggory," he said and got up to hug her. He had to crouch down much to be able to rest his head on her head. "It's probably really early, the sun's barely up. We'll be fine."

But they weren't. Sure, the halls were still empty but when Lauren walked into the girl's chambers Hermione Granger already had a book in her face. She looked at the girl coming in and then at the clock, and then back at her best friend.

"And where have you been all night? The clock's four-thirty!"

When the book was slammed shut Lauren flinched and held back a smirk before sitting down in her bed. 

"I was. . . I couldn't sleep."

"Why you so smiley then?"

"I'm just in a good mood, I guess," Lauren shrugged, Hermione did not believe her excuses. But the smart girl didn't need the truth to know what probably had happened, so she smiled and returned to her studying. . . at four-thirty in the morning.

—

The Great Hall was now a master classroom. Dolores Umbridge sat where the Professor table used to stand, and next to her was a blackboard presenting what the OWL's are about. It was so quiet that you could hear pencils write on paper, and Umbridge sipping on her tea, and the shy student who's breathing way too quickly and loudly. 

Lauren sat dumbfounded in her seat, not only had she been late because she was caught up with Draco, but she hadn't studied one single page in the last months. Guess she was busy trying to push Voldemort out of her head and ignore the fact that he might. . . She has to focus, but looking at the text in front of her eyes everything just blurred out and letters replaced each other until they formed non-existent words.

Before she knew it, she woke up by Umbridge's heels clicking against the floor. She walked past the students and opened the tall doors, Harry took this chance to turn around and glance at the girl who had fallen asleep while leaning her head on her hand.

"You okay?"

She smiled, "just a little tired. This is so hard—"

A loud bang cut her off and brought her attention to Umbridge. A firework flew inside and it felt like a concert began. The two twins flew in  on their brooms, laughing and shouting while throwing their magic firework inside the Great Hall—making all the papers fly into the air. 

One lightning show turned into a Chinese dragon that had eyes for the pink lady. The Professor screamed and ran on her small legs out but the dragon exploded around her and all her framed rules crashed to the floor followed by an endless shatter.

Students cheered and laughed, and Lauren ran after the flying twins with her friends. In the courtyard a crowd of the school formed and watched as the George and Fred made the blue sky explode with colors and lights. An enormous 'W' ended the show and then it was a celebration of freedom.

Catching her off guard was Harry Potter collapsing into Lauren's arms. She searched for Hermione's attention that quickly started to push through the crowd. Harry seemed lost, like he fell into a new world but she knew what was happening. 

"Push him away, Harry. Ignore it." But he didn't seem to listen to her, he had seen it already.

A few minutes later the four of them ran through the castle listening to Harry explaining his vision.

"Harry, are you sure?" Hermione frowned while tapping his shoulder.

"I saw it," he said firmly and turned around to look at them for a second. "It's just like with Mr. Weasley. It's the door I've been dreaming about," then he began walking again. "I couldn't remember where I'd seen it before. Sirius said Voldemort was after something, something he didn't have the last time, in the Department of Mysteries."

"Harry, please, just listen. What if Voldemort meant for you to see this?" Hermione asked. "What if he's only hurting Sirius because he's trying to get to you?"

"But what if it's real?" Lauren cut in, earning worried glances from them all.

"Lauren, you didn't see it? With my dad both of you saw the same thing, now it's only Harry," Ron said carefully.

"We don't have time for this. It could be real, what then? I'm supposed to just let him die?" Harry exclaimed while turning into a hallway. "He's the only family I've got left."

"Mate," Ron breathed and glanced at Lauren.

Lauren shook her head, "Harry's right. We can't afford any risks."

"What do we do?" Ron asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"We'll have to use the Floo Network," Harry said. 

While they rushed Hermione spoke, "Umbridge has the chimneys under surveillance."

"Not all of them!" The boy exclaimed.

When they had reached the Defense Aginst the Dark Arts classroom Lauren was not the only one to tilt her head. "What are we doing here?" Ron asked.

Lauren quickly caught on though when they headed for Umbridge own office and announced (what Hermione and Harry probably already knew), "Her chimneys's still working."

"Alohomora," Harry said to unlock the door into the pink room. The cats made a lot of noise at the intruders, and Lauren had never been much of a cat person she she gave the innocent animals dirty looks. 

The fireplace started green flames, and they all knelt down before them. 

"Alert the Order if you can," Harry said, but was quickly caught off.

"Are you mental? We're going with you," Ron said.

"It's too dangerous—"

"When are you going to get it into your head? We're in this together!" Hermione said firmly.

Lauren was about to lay one comment in herself about Harry's stupid hero-mode when the door opened and a high-pitched voice firmly spoke.

"That you are." They had no other choice but to obey the Professor. Soon, they all were held by firm hands of students that had agreed to be a part of Umbridge's little club. And more people of the DA came rolling into the office in Slytherin students arms. Lauren had been pushed by Goyle to aa new guard, but his hands didn't pinch her arms as hard. In fact, they were very gentle and she knew she could easily break away.

But she didn't dare to. Behind her, Draco stood proudly with his job too have collected Neville and a few others. 

"You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?" Umbridge asked Harry. Everyone else stood quiet by the wall.

"No."

"Liar!" She yelled and slapped Harry. Lauren barely reacted, but Hermione flinched harshly so she tried to reach her hand, but Draco pushed her arm back against her side.

"You sent for me, headmistress?" Snape said as he entered the crowded room.

"Snape, yes," she nodded. "The time has come for answers, whether he wants to give them to me or not. Have you brought the Veritaserum?"

"I'm afraid you've used up all my stores interrogating students. The last of it on Miss Chang. Unless you wish to poison him. . . And I assure you, I would have the greatest sympathy if you did. . . I cannot help you." Lauren saw how Harry looked at her quickly, she saw his guilt for being so harsh on Cho. It wasn't her fault.

"He's got Padfoot," Harry said when Snape was about to leave. It caught the man's attention and her turned around. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."

Lauren understood, she knew Ron and Hermione understood, and she knew Severus Snape understood.

"Padfoot? What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What is he talking about, Snape?"

But still the man in a long black cloak shrugged, "No idea."

"Very well," Umbridge spoke frustrated when Snape had left. "You give me no choice, Potter. As this is an issue of Ministry security. . . you leave me with. . . no alternative. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"That's illegal," Hermione snapped.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," Dolores simply said and put the picture of the Minister upside down.

"Tell her, Harry!" Hermione the shouted, getting confused looks from everyone.

"Tell me what?"

"Well, if you won't tell her where it is. . . I will," Hermione spoke.

"Where what is?"

"Dumbledore's secret weapon."

—

How much time had passed since Umbridge had dragged Harry and Hermione with her out the door was unclear, but it felt like an eternity. Lauren could practically feel Draco's breath hit the back of her neck while he spoke with his friends. They laughed scnorfully and played around with a scared Neville's feelings.

"You gonna' pee your pants now, Longbottom?" Draco then asked.

Lauren had had enough though and sighed, "leave him alone."

Draco loosened his grip just a little at her arms, not so anyone noticed but only so that she felt that he listened to her. But Pansy couldn't stand the power Lauren had over him, so she smirked and asked, "Yeah, why? You got a sweet spot for Neville?"

Lauren could feel Draco's grip once again tighten, maybe it was jealousy. And Lauren found it amusing.

She looked up at Pansy who was holding a wand against Ginny's neck. "Tell you what, Panty Pansy. I find Neville one of the most high-quialty men at this school, actually." 

"You better stop talking," Draco whispered harshly for only her to hear, but it just encouraged her to continue. And Pansy's red and angry face made it all ten times better.

"I can honestly say that Neville Longbottom, who is my close friend, is ten times smarter, funnier, cuter and hotter than you, Pansy."

Lauren smiled when she heard Ron and Luna snicker, and she winked at Neville who wore a blush. 

"Be quiet, will ya?" Draco said to her and shook her a little.

"Why? You jealous?" Lauren asked innocently.

"Bet he is, isn't he? When the girl he's snogging wants Longbottom instead? Your swimming at the bottom, Draco, don't you see?"

"I'm not snogging anyone," he said calmly. 

"Funny, I thought I saw you sneakin' around last night into the girl's bathroom. Tell me, Drake, you and Moaning Myrtle a thing?"

"Stop it," he said sternly when she giggled. 

"If you let me go," she whispered. 

"Won't do that, got orders."

"Alright then," she whispered back and then looked up at everyone again. "Wanna hear a joke?"

"Please, tell us," Ron said with a grin and ignored how Goyle pressed his wand tighter into his skin.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy," she said proudly but the next second he was pushing her out the office.

"What do you think about taking a sip of the toilet, Diggory?"

"Give her the stupefy, Malfoy!"

"Throw her in a cell or something!" His friends cheered him on when he pushed her through the office and into a broom closet nearby.

"A broomcloset? Did my lil' stunts turn you on so much, Draco?" She smirked playfully. But her smirk washed away when she was caught off guard and he pushed her against the closed door.

"Kinda'," he said quietly but then shook his head, "that's not why we're here. Focus and listen. Here's the plan."

"What plan?" She asked, feeling breathless by his pressure against her, but she still didn't want him to move.

"How you and your little club can escape, dummy."

"I don't recognize you, where's douchy Draco?"

"Don't mess around, hear me out—"

"I was kinda' hoping we'd be doing something else," she said quietly and sneaked her hands around his neck. "Like. . . what we did last night, you know."

She saw him shake away a blush. "You got time for that?"

Lauren went back to reality, and felt ashamed to be thinking about that when there was so much more important things to do. "No, god's no!" She pushed him away and started pace around, "tell me your plan. Hurry up then!"

▬▬ author's note ▬▬

thoughts about this chapter? kinda' random and rushed moment there at the end but honestly i liked it a little. anyways, i hope everyone is doing great. i hope u all are taking care of yourselves.
stay tuned ! stay safe ! thank you !