Resorted

chapter sixty-six

Alone. What a word- alone. Five letters, with over five meanings. In a dictionary, there is a key one you focus on most: having no-one else present. People act like it was the person’s fault for being alone. But, what if being alone wasn’t a choice? What if being alone would be the only way to protect and save the people you love.

To a reader, they would view that as predictable- they will eventually learn that being alone isn’t the right thing to do, and that love conquers all.

Octavia Zabini was one of those rare characters within a stereotypical dystopian fiction to not have a happy ending. At least, that’s what she thought when she opened the cabinet do discover the baby Dove with its bright wings closed and grey; black, curious eyes now beady and pointing to one area, frozen; and its happy little tune disappearing within her memory.

They had been back a week already. Harry wanted to top himself off the astronomy tower instead of attending another charms class. It was close to their mock-mock NEWT exams right now and he had the most patronising boyfriend and best friend when it came to test seasons.

Currently, the library was occupied by them and some others from their year and above. Harry huffed. He missed the days he could lounge about in his common room without a care in the world: then again, he hasn’t even had that.

Sitting at the back of the library, Harry managed to snag the Half-Blood Prince book before being dragged to a hell-hole of knowledge he doesn’t wish to learn and he placed it in front of the pages from an astronomy text book.

Again, his eyes scanned the spell written in cursive ‘Sectumsempra’. The writing underneath read ‘for enemies’ and it didn’t occur to him where he had heard ‘sectum’ before- minus the one night with Draco. “-then there’s Crux, the...?” Draco said. Oh right, Harry remembered, I’m meant to be revising.

“Southern Cross.” Hermione rolled her eyes, folding her arms and crossing her legs. “Give me a harder one, Black.”
 
“Alright then...” he scanned the text with his eyes then smirked, “What type of stars apart of that constellation have what visual magnitude?” Draco asked in a smug tone.
 
“Easy.” How!?, “Hallmark stars. And each have an apparent visual magnitude brighter than +2.8, even though it is the smallest of all 88 modern constellations.” Harry knew Draco knew that, and it didn’t surprise him Hermione did either.
 
“When are we gonna be done?” dramatically, he flopped back in his seat, letting his limbs go lax for added affect.
 
Hermione turned to him (offended Harry dare imply studying isn’t worthwhile), “We will be done once exams are over, Harry.”
 
Defiantly, Harry zipped up his bag (that was sporting a rainbow pin and blue and purple pin- presents from Pansy) and quickly stood, shoving his stool almost to the ground. “Where are you going?” Draco asked, only half arsed as his head was stuck in a Transfiguration book.
 
“Quidditch Practice.”
 
The blonde rolled his eyes, “We don’t have Quidditch Practice.”
 
Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Harry sweetly smiled to Draco, “I know.” He quickly pecked his boyfriend on the cheek and Draco turned his head to pull Harry into an actual kiss.
 
“Don’t be out too late- don’t want you ill.”
 
“Since when do you care about my well-being?”
 
Hermione answered for him, “He wants you able to actually compete in a Quidditch match.”
 
Out on the pitch, Harry released and caught the snitch so many times there were constant golden flickers in the corner of his eye sight. Instead of pebbles rolling through the emerald grass, being ushered by the pounding rain, it was... quiet. Not even the sun was blazing with such determination for him to burn or hyperventilate because of dehydration. It was the most peaceful his life had ever been. Of course, this is Harry Potter’s life.
 
Meanwhile, Draco and Hermione were packing and putting books away after their extended study session. Upon placing all the books back, Draco’s shined shoe kicked a book under the table.

Curious- as it was face down and covered in scribble- Draco crouched to pick it up and he turned it over. Harry won’t mind if I borrow it for a few hours. Draco theorised and he casually tossed it in his bag too.

“You coming Draco?” Asked Hermione, still having ‘Hogwarts: A History’ clutched to her chest. Giving her a nod, he joined her exiting the library.
 
Reading it in the common room, Draco almost audibly gasped when his memory decided to work. “Cut Forever" and then the writing hit him too. This is his Godfathers book.

Nothing but guilt filled his heart. That’s another thing he’s keeping from Harry. Uncertainty filled his grey eyes and he bit down on his lower lip tapping his foot as he did so. As much as he tried to ignore the fire burning in his heart, his domestic activities of wondering his mind to random thoughts barely succeeded in distracting himself. He can’t tell Harry this. No, he can’t.
 
Arms casually slung around his neck from the back made him jump in his own skin, stomach sinking slightly. “Hey Dray.” the raven-haired boy whispered in his ear honey sweet. Putting on a smile, Draco turned his head to kiss him on the lips, but when he pulled away Harry’s face was puzzled, “What’s wrong?”
 
“Nothing's wrong, darling.” Draco chuckled, trying to lay back slightly to make him seem more casual.
 
Shaking his head, Harry argued back, “No, that’s a fake smile. I’m in love with you- I know what a real and fake smile looks like.”
 
“I’m just a bit stressed and worn out.” He sighed. Harry seemed to accept it and was about to lean his head on Draco’s but, Draco got a whiff of what Harry smelt like, “Do not take another step to me until you have had a shower, you vermin.”
 
“I don’t smell that bad-”
 
“Potter.”
 
“Okay, okay!” He held his hands up in defeat, “I’m going, god.”

Entering his room, he paused in the doorway seeing Pansy Parkinson lying on her back, sighing dreamily, and a box of heart chocolates resting on her stomach. One of her perfectly manicured hands holding open a card. Cautiously, he took a step in and instantly his nose filled eith the horrid smell of overwhelming perfume. “Pansy?” he asked and she sighed back in a love-struck way.
 
“Isn’t Romilda Vane just incredible?” she smiled, eyes unfocused and her body swaying.
 
“Er... sure...” he replied, already knowing what was going on. Picking up the box of chocolates off Pansy- she didn’t protest, too hypnotised by the love potion- he saw they were cheap ones, but leant forwards to smell them and he could smell mint, coconut shampoo and parchment. Definitely a love potion. “You know what? I think I know a way you can talk to Vane. You wanna follow me?” Harry asked and Pansy leaped at the chance. Inside, he smirked blackmail material is sweet.
 
At Slughorn’s quarters, Harry remembered being very, very close to panic when Pansy drank the ‘mead’. And then learning that Slughorn was going to give that to Dumbledore. His suspicion it was Ginny heightened when he remembered seeing her leave behind a back door at Slughorn’s party early. And this happens? It has to be connected.
 
Standing at the hospital bed, Harry was still somewhat in shock. If he wasn’t there... but then he looked to Draco, worried out of his mind in his eyes and shivering hand clutching Pansy’s left, yet not displaying anything else. He had to focus on comforting his boyfriend for now  and his best friend. Hermione herself was close to tears. Her hair messy- instead of the shoulder length curls all neatly lined- and her lip quivering. Blaise was next to Draco, and Harry felt like he was interfering an important moment... he didn’t feel like he belonged there really. There wasn’t much he knew about Pansy; he didn’t know anything. Could he really class them as friends?
 
“Herm-" a groggy voice cut his thoughts in half and he was bright back to the perplexing present, “Hermione.” Pansy whispered again. Gasping, Hermione hugged her tightly and Pansy smiled against Hermione’s cheek. Draco let go of her hand for Pansy to wrap then around Hermione. “Not like we’ve been worrying about you either.” Blaise mumbled.
 
“Sorry, but maybe if you got a boyfriend you’d know.” Hermione smirked.
 
Blaise flushed red, “Who said anything about a boyfriend.” He exclaimed; voice as squeaky as a mouse.
 
“Herbology.” Added Draco.
 
“Young love.” Dumbledore said, appearing beside Harry.

“Sorry, sir?” He spluttered, knowing Pansy and Hermione were not out to everyone yet.
 
“I thought it was fairly obvious young Parkinson and Miss Granger were a- ah, ‘Item’ as you would say.” His eye twinkled that annoying star and Harry thought it was not fairly obvious- then again, he is oblivious.
 
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Almost a month with no update... blame school? Lmao

Hope you enjoyed it x :)