Flames

Chapter 2 - Draco's POV

Fucking Pansy. She was always pestering me about one thing or another. Today it was about the fact that her girlfriend hadn't been willing to help her with her Herbology homework. I looked over at Zabini who was busy trying not laugh at me. I rolled my eyes and tried to tune Pansy out.

I had been back at school for 1 month and I hated it, but it was court ordered. If I completed my last year of education, my probation would have 1 year left. My options were either Azkaban for 1 year or Hogwarts for 1 year and probation for another. I didn't want to be in prison with my father. It was his fault I was even in this mess, along with my mother. She was serving 2 years in a muggle prison but would probably be out in 6 months due to good behavior. It was a good thing Potter had testified for me and added with memories from the both of us, they hadn't thrown me in a cell. It also helped that I had never actually killed anybody.

The tracking spell put on my wand and I, only allowed me to go as far as Hogsmead and I would have to stay home for the holidays, but I'd rather not be rotting in some hell hole. I conjured up a glass of firewiskey and drank it in almost one gulp. I refilled it and drank this one just as fast. This had been an ongoing thing since the war had ended. Get black out drunk, try go forget, pass out, wake up, repeat. Nothing made the memories go away, and the darkness was always looming over me. I excused myself and walked out of the common room towards the highest part of the castle, the Astronomy Tower. The tower was perfect. It was quiet, deserted and I could sit on the window's ledge alone.

I made my way over and started the long walk up the stairs little by little. When I reached the top I was startled by a mane of long, curly brown hair. I looked closer and noticed who it was.

"Granger?" I asked, confused.

"Oh. Hello Malfoy." She replied flatly.

"I didn't realize somebody was here. It's usually empty during the day. I'll just come back later. Sorry" I rambled on not knowing what to do and feeling extremely awkward. She looked at me with blank eyes for a long moment before speaking.

"I'll leave. I'm finished either way" She finally replied. I watched as she discreetly pulled on her long sleeves and got up to leave, barely even looking at me. I watched her as she disappeared down the stairs and heard her footsteps fade as she walked away. I walked over to the window she was sitting at and looked out.

I could feel the gentle breeze blowing my hair around. I looked down to watch were I was stepping and noticed something crimson staining the white wood. I reached down to touch and realized it was blood. Was Granger bleeding? I didn't see any wounds on her. I shrugged it off and stood up on the ledge. A gust of wind blew right in that moment and I felt like I was flying. I could feel the darkness creeping away slowly. I felt a little lighter.

After watching the sun set, I got down and started walking down the stairs, towards the Slytherin common room. I noticed the same stains on the floor but this time, they were dry. Did I really not notice she was hurt? It would've been hard to notice considering she was always wearing dark and baggy clothes. On our days off, her outfits consisted of black hoodies, and dark jeans. Even her shoes were dark. It was like all the light had been sucked out of her. During school hours, she never took off her robes and when she did she was wearing her school sweater underneath.

She reminded me of myself during my 5th and 6th year. It was around that time I had started cutting myself. My mind flashed to an image of her cutting herself but I shook it out just as fast. Hermione Granger would never do that. She was the golden girl! The Gryffindor princess. No, she would never scar her body like that.

As I arrived to the entrance of the common room I muttered the password. "Introibunt Serpentis Cubilia." The door swung open and I was met with boisterous laughing. I slipped past everyone quietly and made my way to my room. One of the perks of being a 7th year is that I finally had my own room and bathroom. I could be alone when I wanted to. I got ready for bed and tried to stop thinking about Granger.

Throughout the night I tossed and turned as images of her haunted me. When I awoke I had an owl waiting at my window. I got up to deal with it.