lifetime | draco malfoy

8 | noise

          The feeling of an oncoming headache came instantly as you were beginning to wake from a deep slumber and the warm light shining in through the window near your bed beamed down on your face. It felt like another normal day at Hogwarts as your eyelids slowly fluttered open to allow your vision to become clear. You were met with the familiar sight of the wooden posts at the end of your bed and your favorite jacket rested over the footboard.

          There was a nagging feeling you felt when you stared at your jacket and realized that you couldn't remember how you ended up back here when you last remembered being with Neville at the Three Broomsticks. You were sure you didn't drink any alcohol so a black-out wasn't in the question and Neville wasn't a drinker either. As you sat up to break yourself completely out of your sleepy state, your upper arm began to lightly throb.

          Your hand moved the sleeve of your sweater as high as it could go before you revealed deep bruises that stained your skin a dirty light purple. The shape of them was made out like fingers, confirming that someone had handled you a bit too rough. The cogs in your head turned as you began digging deep into your memory, trying to think of who could have done this to you but to no avail.

          "Goodmo-" Hermione's sweet voice filled the room as she walked in the door before she cut herself off with a gasp. The bruises on your arm were prominent to the eye and Hermione immediately spotted them despite the sleeve of your sweater covering them halfway. "Lilith, what happened to you?" She took long steps toward you to gently hold your forearm in his hands as she twisted your arm to inspect the bruises.

          She felt upset to see such a thing and wondered who would do something like that to someone. You awkwardly smiled at her to ease the tense feeling she was beginning to give off and got off of your bed to stand on your feet. Her eyes never left your arm as you moved and her eyebrows furrowed in pity. "I probably walked into a wall, don't worry about me."

          Hermione could tell you were lying and she tilted her head to the side to give you a sarcastic 'really?' look. You simply smiled and slipped past her to look yourself in the mirror, brushing a few knots from your hair with your hairbrush that laid on the vanity nearby. "Someone hurt you, Lilith. Tell me who." Her voice went from sweet to dark and serious. She hated seeing her friends get hurt in any way, shape, or form.

          "Trust me, Hermione. If I knew myself, I would tell you." You appreciated the protective aspect of her friendship with you and smiled at her reflection in the mirror with your lips pursed. There was no point in sitting there and thinking about who could have done it when there were hundreds of people at Hogwarts. It would be like running around without a head.

          Hermione sighed to herself and let you get yourself ready for the day, leaving the room to sit in the common room with Ron and Harry. There were no set classes for your grade level today so you decided on staying in all day long. You had nowhere to be and nothing important to tend to so relaxing didn't sound so bad.

          Zach was sat on one of the sofas provided in the common room while Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat on the other adjacent to each other. Now, relaxing didn't sound as good as it did a few minutes ago. You knew how awkward it would be if you sat on the sofa with him but what else could you do? Besides, you needed to know what was up with him these past few days.

          Harry and Ron watched as you walked past to head over to Zach. They noticed how hesitant you were to be near him and made sure not to make it obvious that they were planning to eavesdrop. Regardless of how nervous you were, you did it and sat beside your best friend. It took you a few seconds to muster up the courage to say something to him, to which he didn't even care to look at you. "Can we talk?"