WITHOUT YOU [draco malfoy fanfiction]

26. entwined

DRACO:

My heart has been fluttering since I received her letter.

"Draco,

If you feel like, join me at the hills near the black lake tomorrow morning 5am. If not, that is absolutely alright too. Do not feel the need to reply. I will be waiting.

-Irene"

She really wants to meet me? after everything? Maybe she would tell me how pathetic and petty I'am in person. Or maybe, the faintest voice in my head says that she understands. I had to do it. I did not have a choice. Maybe, she doesn't want to leave me just like everyone does. Maybe, she actually wants to stay.

Whatever the outcome is, I decide to go there tomorrow morning.

Needless to stay, I couldn't sleep the entire night. Images kept running through my head. I saw how Umbridge punished the students, their hands burning and bleeding due to her torture. Her venomously sweet voice, the content smile she had plastered when she saw the students suffering, made me want to throw up right there. But I couldn't, instead I helped her. I helped her distribute the quills that would leave non-healing scars on their bodies. I was responsible for this. I was the sole reason, Umbridge was able to get a hold of them. I will never forgive myself for what I did. Why does it have to be me? I did not choose this life. Why don't I have the liberty to choose how I lay out my life? Why me?

My sleepless eyes checked the clock that hung on the wall. 4:30am. I decided to get ready. I brushed my teeth, washed my face in the cold water and changed into an okayish outfit. I did not bother to comb my messy hair, nor did I have the energy to carry around the weight of the mean and cold behaviour. So I left my dorm, vulnerable to the outside world in more ways than one.

I was still deciding on whether to just run back to my dorm or go ahead and face what lies ahead, when I saw her standing near the castle gates. I thought we were supposed to meet at the hills?

Irene looked beautiful even though she made no special effort to look that way. She simply was beautiful. She wore grey hoodie and sweatpants, her beautiful tresses open and falling on her shoulder. She seemed anxious by the looks of how she kept pacing and messing with her fingers. She stopped and genuinely smiled when she looked at me.

"Draco. You came" her smile sent warmth through my entire body, giving me no choice but to return her smile.

"Good Morning Irene" I said

"Morning"

"I thought we were meeting at the hills?"

"Yeah. I just waited for you here because I thought you wouldn't be able to spot me there" she answered nervously

"Oh"

"Yeah. So you want to come along now?"

"Sure" she extended her hand towards me and I took it after a few moments of hesitation. Why was she being like this? Shouldn't she be shouting at me for outing her best friend like that? She should be telling me I'm a monster and that she regrets ever talking to me. but Irene does no such thing, she continues taking me uphill till we reach the highest spot. She leaves my hand and I suddenly miss her warmth. She sits down and gestures for me to do the same.

For a while, we stay at peaceful silence. I notice her cheeks are all flushed from the climb and she is slightly panting. I decide to give her some time to collect herself.

"I'm sorry for calling you so early. I know it's still dark, I must have interrupted your sleep"

"No, it's alright really. There was no sleep to interrupt anyway"