𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 '𝟗𝟔 ; 𝐝. 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 ✓

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲

12:13 am
August 30, 1996

Draco's subtle phrase immediately ruptured my heart. I have bad news. Bad news? But I thought everything was going to be okay, he confirmed that it wasn't just a fling, so what could've possibly gone out-of-line now?

"What...?" I breathed back shakily, the tears arising once again in my sapphire eyes.

"I'm not returning tomorrow."

What?

A baffled sob escaped my lips. He swathed his secure arms around me and began gently rocking me back and forth as I lamented into his soggy white shirt, drenched with the stench of rainwater.

"Why, Draco? Why?" I weeped, focusing on his teary grey eyes.

"I'm not returning to Hogwarts tomorrow. I was told to pack everything. The reason? I don't know yet, if I did I would absolutely notify you. I don't know where I'm headed to, and I don't know if I'll ever see you again."

These words severed my heart right into pieces, as I shot him an utter look of disbelief. Why wasn't he coming back? Why weren't we going to see each other again? Where was he going?

Is this all because of me?

All of a sudden, a loud voice screeched.

"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!"

He flinched, twisted back to me, and caressed the side of my face, just like he used to while we would lie together, carefree. The tears that he demanded himself to hold back erupted out of his grey eyes, and he sobbed in agony.

"I love you Estelle. So very much. And if I never see you again, please, please remember me. Remember us. Remember this summer. I'll miss you dearly, my darling." He grieved, not even attempting to bite the tears back like he typically did.

"You told me everything was fine!" I screamed back at him, violently punching his shoulder while his face remained blank, his bottom lip still quivering. "Don't do this to me, don't leave me again."

"I'll see you again one of these days, my darling." He sobbed, beginning to stand. "When you miss me, look up at the stars. No matter where I am, or where I'm going, just know that we will always be under the same night sky."

"I hate you!" I screamed, instantly regretting my aggressive words. His eyes dropped to the soaking ground, his falling tears blending in with the rain. His sniffles and sobs stabbed me like a knife, as I had hurt this poor boy way too much. He deserved literally everything under the sun.

I leaped into his arms which held me gently against him and squeezed him tightly while he sobbed into my shoulder.

"No, I love you Draco. No matter how bad you are for me, no matter how much I don't want to love you as much as I do. When the dreaded last day of the world arrives, under the falling sky, above the ground cracking beneath our feet, the hopeless acknowledgment that we're never going to see the sunlight once more, I will love you."

His weepy eyes peered down at me, a meager smile extending across his helpless face. "And I will love you."

Our lips caressed each other's once more before he was gone. The pain and regret in his sad eyes stared back at me, standing there helplessly as the love of my life walked right back to where he shouldn't go. My face tensed as I watched the beautiful boy I had let down every guard I had for, stroll away, right out of my life.

••••••••••
6:46 am
August 31, 1996

I awoke in my bed, still drenched in the smell of rainwater. Chills crawled up my spine as I heard the frantic rush from downstairs. It soon registered in my mind that I had to return to school today, without Draco.

I arose slowly, the blood dropping from my head, leaving my head throbbing in pain and causing me dizziness. My father barged into my room.

"Estelle, it's time to go back to Hogwarts. I know you're absolutely dreading it, but there's nothing I can do."

My glassy eyes fell to the window, staring out at what used to be the place I called home, but now, it just felt like an abandoned place that held vague memories. I looked back to my father, who pursed his lips, also knowing that the Malfoys had left the night before.

"I loved him, father."

"I know you did, Estelle. And he loved you. Something tells me deep down that he still does. But life has to go on, you can't base the rest of your life's fate off of a boy." He replied solemnly.

Eventually, after lots of tears, I hoisted myself off of the spot in my bed, where Draco once lied next to me in.

There was something about Draco that was addictive, almost like a drug. The way he held me, the things he told me, the way he made love to me, and the protection he showered me with. My mother always told me to be careful loving someone, because love is like a drug. Once you don't have it, it's impossible to ever feel the same without it. Loving Draco Malfoy, the mistaken boy, the school asshole, was a risk I was willing to take, whether I admitted to it or not. This boy was the death of me, but something about that idea, that concept, just made me fall even deeper in love with him.

The salty tears burned my cheeks as we passed Malfoy Manor on the way to Platform 9 3/4. It didn't have the lively spark it used to, it honestly just looked dark and eerie under the grey and cloudy skies above. I wish I could've at least seen Narcissa tinkering outside with the deep red roses, which were now wilted, just like my heart was.

I wondered where he had gone, what went wrong, where he was, if he was safe or not. I was absolutely clueless, and the only thing I had left were those words my love had last said to me, and I will love you.

No matter how much unknown time would pass, I hoped to God that he would never forget me.

Because I will never forget him.