Draco seemed to sense something. He looked up and met Hermione's eyes, then frowned and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
His words caught Harry and Ron's attention. They looked up from the newspaper and found Hermione watching Draco with a strange look in her eyes.
"If I remember correctly, Bellatrix Lestrange is your aunt, isn't she?" Hermione's gaze was piercing.
She had worked out the general outline, but she was still missing the most important link to the truth: Bellatrix's motive for testifying for Sirius.
Draco had clearly read the rest of the article too, and guessed what Hermione was thinking. He rolled his eyes. "You don't think I told her to say that, do you?"
"Don't be ridiculous. She's mad, completely mad!"
"And I've never been to Azkaban!"
Hermione looked away, not doubting his words.
In fact, she did not think this had anything to do with Draco, or rather, the Malfoy family. With no leads at all, she had simply put the question to the only person present who had any connection to Bellatrix.
"Hermione, what's wrong with you?" Ron waved a hand in front of her face.
Hermione came back to herself and shook her head. "Just a bit of a headache-it's too noisy here. I'm going somewhere quiet. Want to come?" "Somewhere quiet?" Ron asked almost without thinking. "The library?"
"Only you would think-"
Before Ron could finish, Harry interrupted. "All right! We'll come with you!"
Then Harry turned to Draco and his two companions. "Want to come along?"
Draco merely raised his chin. "I'm not particularly interested in the library. Besides-"
"I think my guardian will be visiting me today."
The Golden Trio frowned in unison. Draco had not been like this a moment ago. He had even seemed a little