NUMB WITHOUT YOU | Draco Malfoy

| 18

It used to be that I knew everything that was going on the second my dark mark started to burn. Where to go, what to do, and who to see was all so clear in the forefront of my mind. There was something different about it all now. Whoever was using the mark wasn't doing it right. It wasn't supposed to be this way. It wasn't supposed to be a blinding pain that stopped all my senses from functioning.

I felt like I was being punished for some unknown reason. There was absolutely no way that it was useful to Camille, or whoever was in charge, to have all former death eaters writhing on the floor in agony any time something happened.

This was starting to feel like an attack.

Imani's face appeared amongst my thoughts. She was the last person I saw before blacking out. My mind continued to wander as I remembered bits and pieces of last night. The breech in Azkaban. What was that all about?

I peeled my eyes open and adjusted to the sunlight that streamed over my face. It was suddenly eclipsed by Draco's head that peered down to look at my own. He ran his long fingers through my hair absentmindedly as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"You've got to get it together, Aurora." He muttered. His voice sounded thick and raspy like he too had just woken up.

I sat up and blinked, getting a better look at his angular features. I was mistaken. I drank him in in the morning light and noticed how deep and bruised the dark circles under his eyes were. He hadn't slept at all.

"What happened to you after I passed out?" I asked still sounding a little groggy. "I know you felt it too. I saw you holding your arm."

Draco's throat bobbed and he nodded slowly, "Yeah I did, but..." his eyes glazed over as he stared at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to figure out, "It wasn't anything like how you felt. I was more in shock to the pain because I'm not used to it anymore. It still felt kind of normal, er, what used to be normal, at least."

"I wonder why it's affecting me so much then?" I wondered aloud as I put a hand to my throbbing temple.

"It used to hurt you more back then too." Draco noted. I swallowed hard, remembering.

Draco stood up and cleared his throat pretending to stare at something interesting on the wall, "You should get up and get something to eat."

"Good idea." I said as I stood. I was still wearing the clothes I had thrown on the night before. I paused when I realized Draco wasn't following me out of the room. "You're not coming?"

"I already ate." He said without meeting my gaze, "Go on ahead."

I wandered downstairs following the sound of voices. When I got to the kitchen it was just Ginny and Hermione sitting there talking and eating oatmeal.

"Oh good, you're awake." Hermione hummed, "Want something to eat?"

I nodded and slid into the seat across from Ginny while Hermione fixed me a bowl. She was staring at me intently with worry written all over her face.

"Where's Imani?" I asked as I looked around. The house that had been bursting at the seams with people yesterday felt quiet and empty now.

"She left last night." Hermione said as she slid a bowl in front of me and sat down again, "She seemed pretty disturbed by the whole thing. George took her to his place. Quite honestly I think it was just an excuse to have some alone time. They have gotten quite comfortable."

"Has anyone talked to George?" I asked, trying not to sound overly concerned as to not draw attention. The things Draco had been insinuating about her yesterday were messing with my head. I tried to shake them away as best I could. It wasn't Imani that hurt me last night. How could it have been?