Forever Home | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 6-9: Cursed

Weeks had gone by, and things felt great between Desiree and Draco. It was almost as though the first few days of the term never happened. Granted, Draco was still acting a bit off. It wasn't nearly as had as it had been. He seemed to be doing much better.

The only thing that really seemed odd going on with him was that he would return late to the common room some nights, well after curfew. Desiree tried not to think too much of it. She trusted him, and she knew he wouldn't do anything to discern her trust.

"So, what's the plan for today?" asked Desiree, a smile on her face as she turned to face Draco as they walked to Hogsmeade.

"Probably just the usual, go to Honeydukes, then The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer," he shrugged. "You know, the more we come down here, the more I realize there isn't much to do for students," he laughed.

"Well, there's still Zonko's and the bookstore, and a few other shops. We just never go in them," Desiree giggled.

"Oh yeah, I forget about them. Do you want to go to them? We haven't been to the bookstore in ages," Draco looked down at her.

"We don't have to," she shrugged, though the bookstore would have been nice to go to.

"Nonsense, I'm taking you to the bookstore," he grinned, pulling Desiree over to the bookstore at the entrance of the small village.

The warm air of the bookstore met Desiree's cheeks like a welcoming hug, the smell of books filled her nose like the kiss of an old lover. She missed going in there. It felt good to be back in a store she was so familiar with, yet such a different person since the last time she was in it.

"So, where to first?" Draco looked down at her with a smile.

With a smile, Desiree began pulling Draco through the cozy book store. They looked down the aisles aimlessly, just searching for anything that really stuck out to them. Desiree found a poetry book that she thought she'd enjoy. She was never really a poetry fan but this book was calling her name, something about it told her to get it.

"Look, listen to this one," Desiree smiled, pointing to her new poetry book.

A life without love is but a black hole,
existing until it simply does not.
But, a love without living is merely an anchor,
pulling you down until you drown in its suffocating intoxication.
We spend our lives striving to find the perfect balance,
hoping we find the sweet love that has been prophecized for a millennium,
hoping we don't meet the fate that hunts us even with the smallest imbalance.

-d.h.

"I mean, wow," Desiree said excitedly, her mouth hung open in awe. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"I think it's even better with you reading it," Draco grinned, taking a sip of his butterbeer.
"Now, why don't you give me this," he grabbed the book from Desiree's hand, "so we can enjoy our time out of the castle."

"Hey, I was reading that," Desiree huffed, crossing her arms as she looked at him.

"And you'll be able to read when we get back up to the castle. But, for right now, we're going to enjoy our butterbeer and talk," he grinned.

"Ugh, fine," she grinned, taking a sip of butterbeer. "So, do you think Blaise told Pansy he walked in on us about to shag?"

Draco choked on his butterbeer at her sudden topic change. "Oh, most definitely," he laughed. Desiree joining him in his laughter.

With this, the couple talked about whatever came to their mind. Some goofy topics, like what would happen if you mixed a unicorn with a hippogriff, other topics more serious, like their fear of what was going on in the outside world. This was the first time Draco had opened up to Desiree all year. He let her know how terrified he felt every waking day. It made her feel bad for pressuring him to talk about it. But, in reality, she felt the same way. She was terrified that Voldemort was gaining more and more followers each day.

"Hey, I'm going to use the bathroom, and then we can head back to the castle," said Draco, standing from the booth.

"Okay," Desiree grinned as he walked away.

Desiree waited for some moments, it seemed to take much longer for Draco in the bathroom than usual. Nonetheless, he finally came out after Desiree had a short conversation with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Well, the conversation was more if she would come to their common room anytime soon.

"Ready?" asked Draco, taking Desiree's hand as she nodded.

Their walk back to the castle was going so much better than Desiree would have thought. The old Draco was back. The one that showed his careless and loving side to her. She was slowly getting her lover back, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness about it.

"What's on your mind?" Desiree asked, grinning as she looked at him.

"What?" he asked.

"I asked what was on your-" Desiree was cut off by an ear-shattering scream ahead of them.

"Katie!" a seventh year Gryffindor shouted a ways ahead of them.

Everyone's eyes were met in terror as Katie Bell ascended into the air, floating as though something was holding her up. Her scream pierced every nerve in Desiree's body. She felt helpless when she couldn't do anything to help her. Then, all of the sudden, Katie fell back down to the ground harshly.

Desiree looked to Draco, terror in her eyes, as a different expression bore on Draco's face. Draco's eyes met her for a second before he turned and began running off.

"Where are you going?" Desiree yelled after him.

"I have to go," he said sternly, never looking back at her.

Desiree stood, silently staring in the direction Draco walked off in. She quickly snapped back into focus when she heard Katie's friend talking to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Desiree then began walking over to Katie, who was still lying unconscious on the ground.

"Don't come any closer!" Hagrid shouted. "I'll take her back up to the castle. And don't touch that necklace unless you're holding it with the packaging!"

With this, Hermione carefully grabbed the necklace, braced in the paper it originally sat in. Desiree, along with the other three and Katie Bell's friend made their way up to the castle with Hagrid, holding Katie carefully in his arms.

Desiree's nerves were amplified like never before as they waited outside of McGonagall's office. She didn't know why she wasn't speaking with Snape, since he was her head of house, but she wasn't going to argue. She actually like McGonagall quite a bit. Once inside, she saw Snape and McGonagall carefully examining the necklace.

"It's been cursed, hasn't it?" asked Harry before anyone was able to say anything.

"Yes, it has. And a very dark one at that," said McGonagall, her voice weary.

"It was Malfoy," said Harry matter-of-factly.

"Harry, I've been with him all day. It couldn't possibly have been him," Desiree snapped.

"That is a very serious accusation Potter," said McGonagall, her gaze remained on Harry as well as Snape's.

"It was him. Professor, I swear," said Harry.

"I highly doubt Malfoy was behind this. But," Snape paused. "I will be sure to speak to him nonetheless. Miss Alcyone, I expect you to tell me what you saw since you claim you were with Mr. Malfoy all day."

Desiree silently nodded as Snape walked out of McGonagall's office, McGonagall turned her attention to all four of them rather than just Harry. "Why is it, that when something bad happens it is always you four?"

"Believe me, Professor, I've been asking myself the same thing for six years," said Ron.