Mine

[7]

I decided to check the Room of Requirement first in hopes of him being there because I'd really rather speak with him in private. I burst into the room, yelling, "Draco!!"

And there he was. He jumped up from the couch in surprise when I yelled his name, his eyes widening slightly. Before he could say or do anything I rushed up to him and grabbed him by the arm and began to push up his sleeve.

"What are you –" Before he could finish his question or fight me off, I saw it. The dark mark imprinted on his pale skin.

"Draco." I whispered, looking up at him. He quickly yanked his arm out of my grip, jumping back from me.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" He hissed, his eyes going wide and frantic.

"Draco, when did this happen?" I asked, trying to take a step towards him, but he only moved further back from me. I watched as his wild eyes flicked frantically around the room as if other people were about to pop out and shout accusations at him. His eyes grew watery as he tried to say something, but all he could seem to do was shake his head with his jaw dropped open.

"It's okay." I said softly, carefully watching him. His hands shot up to his head, his fingers gripping at his hair. "Draco." I said again, tentatively taking a step towards him. "Look at me." I waited until his eyes finally settled on me. "I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm not making any assumptions."

A tear slowly rolled down his cheek and he just looked down, glaring at the mark on his arm. "So, what? Going to run off and tell your little friends?" Draco sneered at me, but his voice came out weak. I knew he wanted to come off as tough and careless, but I knew that he was scared.

"No, Draco, of course not." I said as I closed the distance between us. I rose a hand to his face, him flinching under my touch. I ignored the flinch and left my hand on his skin, stroking his cheek with my thumb. "Look at me." I said once again, "I know you're scared. It's okay-"

"No! None of this is okay!" Draco exclaimed, moving out of my reach. "Don't you see! I am a death eater, Gemma! This mark on my arm, it is real! I don't need you pitying me."

"I'm not pitying you, Draco!" I threw my arms up in frustration. "I am standing in front of you telling you that I am here. I am here for you and I'm not just going to turn my back on you when you need me."

"I don't need you." Draco hissed, his eyes growing dark as he glared at me. "You don't know anything. You don't know me."

"I do know you." I said softly, once again taking a step towards him. "You're not a bad person, Draco. Maybe you have done bad things...like causing Katie Bell to be in the hospital wing, but I doubt you wanted to hurt her."

Draco flinched when I mentioned Katie Bell, his hard-exterior crumbling at the mention of her name. "I – it wasn't m- I never wanted anyone to get hurt." Draco said quietly, his breathing becoming shaky.

This time when I approached him and wrapped my arms around him, he let me. He stood there, gulping in broken breaths as I held him. My mind was of course racing, but the main thought that stood out to me was that I needed to be there for him.

"I didn't want this." Draco whispered, his arms wrapping tightly around my waist. "I-I didn't want this, you-you have to know that. P-please. I-I didn't –"

"I know you didn't." I shushed him softly, rubbing his back soothingly as he began to cry. I knew that he couldn't have wanted to go down this path. The Draco that I had gotten to know wasn't cruel. He was sincere and a little uncertain, like he didn't know how to be the person that he wanted to be.