"Why did you leave me?" she asked loud enough to be heard from the bedroom. There was a pregnant pause, followed by a heavy sniff and Draco clearing his throat. He replied in a hoarse voice. "I was going to tell the King I could read the runes, let them take me down to the crystal instead. I thought I had time. But someone lied, or didn’t know or, or..." He stuttered the words shakily, quickly. "Orion, he must have taken you soon after I left. They were watching, the whole time, I think, for me to leave. I didn’t have a chance to tell them. I was behind the King and then you were just  there." His voice dropped off and Hermione heard his weight shift against the door, his head hitting heavy once more against it. 