Putting Trust into the Wrong Man

Chapter 20: Silence

The first week of the new year dragged for Poppy, it had been a week since the letter was sent home to her father. She was waiting for a response, almost hoping it would get lost in the mail. She was sitting at the Slytherin table eating a bowl of soup with bread when the mail came in from the owls flying above.

She spotted Poe as he landed next to her, dropping the letter, and begging for a piece of bread. Poppy ripped off a small piece and fed it to him, staring at the piece of paper in front of her; she tore it open and silently opened it.

Poppy Willow,

Headmistress McGonagall sent a letter home, informing me you got into a fight with another student. Can't say I'm too upset about it, but dont let boys or others cloud your judgement, focus on your studies and magic lessons. Did ya hit her hard? (It's okay if you did, just dont let Minerva see this letter) Stay out of trouble, will you? See you soon my dear.

Love always,

Dad

Poppy smiled at the words of her father; he wasn't angry...seems like he was proud even. Poppy quickly hid her smile and piled more soup into her mouth, she could feel eyes watching her. She looked down the table and saw Draco looking at her but looked away as soon as they locked eyes. It had been a week since Poppy talked to him, he wanted nothing to do with her.

After Poppy was done with her lunch, she got up and met Luna and Hermione to go to the library. Hermione kept asking about the letter, shocked that Severus wasnt angry with his daughter. Poppy felt relief and she could focus on studying for her upcoming tests.

"What is the incantation for making clean water appear?" Hermione looked to Poppy and Luna, Luna was too busy looking at Cedric sitting at another table.

"Ugh, I know this one! Augment!" Poppy yelled, knowing she had gotten it right.

"Nope, Luna...the incantation?" Poppy frowned and noticed Luna not even paying attention.

"Uh...Luna?" Poppy bumped her shoulder into Lunas finally diverting her attention.

"Yeah, what?" Luna quickly faced towards her friends, slightly blushing from being caught staring.

"I thought you didnt like Cedric...unless," Hermione gasped as she put the pieces together, "unless that's who you kissed on New Years! That's why you two have been blushing and turning away from each other!" Hermione smiled proudly to herself that she had solved the puzzle.

"Hush! Keep it down, would you? We haven't exactly spoken to each other since we made out, he won't even look at me," Luna pouted and facing the table.

"Well he's looking at you right now, go over there and talk to him!" Hermione giggled and got Luna to stand up and walk over to Cedric.

Poppy and Hermione watched as Luna sat down across from him and started giggling in no time at whatever Cedric was saying to her.

"How're you doing?" Hermione turned her attention to Poppy, seeing the sadness in her eyes.

"Not good at all, Draco won't even look in my direction, I totally messed this up Hermione. It's over, he'll never speak to me again."

"Oh please, he really likes you, he's bound to talk to you again. There's a quidditch match coming up, ask him to go with you!" Hermiones face lightened up as she started solving her new puzzle.

"It's not easy asking someone a question when they won't even go near you. Hermione, it's hopeless, alright? It's been a whole week of silence, might as well make it forever." Poppy put her head down on the table, not wanting to talk about Draco or incantations anymore.

"I just can't believe Harry did that to you, what an arse. I mean really, how desperate can he be?" Hermione looked to Poppy and saw her reaction, now realizing another problem has been added to the equation.

"You...you liked it didn't you?" Hermione whispered to Poppy.

"I didn't exactly hate it," Poppy sighed and sat staring at her book.

"But, Poppy, he's hiding secrets. Draco has accused him of being a death eater and he hasn't exactly denied that either," Hermione kept her eyes on Poppy, hearing Luna laughing with Cedric.

"Well I don't know all of Draco's story either, they both accuse each other of killing my mother, they fight constantly without ever telling me the truth." Poppy became frustrated, she wanted to know everything about that night, how the Potters and Malfoys were involved in the murder of her mother.

"But Poppy-"

"I should go, I'll see you later." Poppy grabbed her bag and headed out of the library and saw Ron walking in as she exited, she got out just in time.

She bumped into someone and dropped her charms textbook.

"Sorry," she whispered as she went to grab her book, she knelt down and felt a hand touch hers and as she looked up, she locked eyes with Draco.

Everything stopped around them, Draco looked at her for the first time in a week and knelt down speechless.

"I'm so sorry," Poppy whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek, the surrounding sounds of students and talking hit Poppy's ears as she quickly stood up and walked away with her textbook. She wiped her tears away and picked up the pace to the common room.

Draco stood in the middle of the hallway as everyone walked around him.

"I'm sorry too," he whispered to no one as he walked in the opposite direction towards the library.