Just in case || Draco Malfoy

Forty Nine - Welcome

"You are everything I want
'Cause you are everything I'm not"

-Taking Back Sunday

...

"Cass, Eddie, Zack, Blaise. 23rd of May

I'm here at Malfoy manor. I'm sorry for not writing - it completely slipped my mind. I'm perfectly safe. The Malfoys think that I am on their side. Don't worry about me I'm perfectly fine. Has anything happened at Hogwarts? I wasn't going to stay here but I got caught and I had to tell them I was on their side. They are planning to move this cabinet to hogsmeade on the 1st of July. I'm going to slip through the cabinet just before they do and wait at Hogwarts until it's in hogsmeade. Then we can all go through the cabinet and apparate home.

Again don't worry about me. I'm fine. You know who hasn't been yet and with a bit of luck he won't. If you do end up seeing this letter, meet me in the room of requirement at midnight the night before they move the cabinet. We can get out. I love you all, stay safe

Helena x"

"They know how to get into the room but there is no guarantee they will see it. I can't believe I forgot to write. I thought I was going to go straight back" I said to Draco.

The rain had soon began to pour when we were outside. At around three, we had felt the icy rain pour even through the trees. We ran across the fields again quickly to get back to the dryness of the house. By the time we had reached the front door, we were soaking to the bone.

After we had changed, I realised that I hadn't told the guys where I was going. I assumed I would simply go back through the cabinet after seeing Draco. After being caught, writing to them had slipped my mind. I scribbled the letter down and brought it to the cabinet, saying the incantation and hoping that they would look in the room for me. I can't imagine how they must be feeling - me disappearing for two days without a trace.

"I'm sure they will. Come on, let's eat" Draco replied to me.

...

"Maybe they just haven't got the chance to look in the room?"

"Draco they came with me every night to the room. What else are they going to be doing?"

It had reached 11 and I hadn't heard even a flicker of news from them. Me and Draco had taken some more food down to the prisoners and stayed with them as we all ate. I had soon rushed upstairs after to see if a letter lay for me on the floor of the cabinet, but the only letters there were the ones I had sent a few days ago.

Me and Draco were sat in the front room on the large black sofas, Draco trying to comfort me as I worried about the safety of my friends.

"Do you think Snape said something to them?" I looked towards Draco. "Do you think he told them that you are with you know who?"

"No. Well- they wouldn't believe it. They know me, they wouldn't believe him even if he did."

I wondered. What would he of said to them? Surely they would of been suspicious when they saw my trunk being taken. I felt more nauseous as midnight approached. We weren't certain when they would be back, only knowing it would be after midnight. I dreaded the moment that Snape walked through the doors. I had had the sickening realisation before that this whole thing may be something to do with Snape - why we had been left in the house alone.

We both stayed silent not knowing what to say to each other. The uncertainty was getting to us - we could forget about everything when we left the house but the walls that trapped us inside made the dread almost overwhelming.

I felt Draco shuffle slightly over to me, placing himself directly beside me so our legs were touching. I looked towards him and I could see a slight trace of a smile on his face.

"I don't know if I've told you yet" he said grasping my hand in his. "But your beautiful Helena"

He raised his hand and placed it on my cheek, cupping it as I felt them flush red from what he had just said. He tilted my face upwards slightly, the smile growing on both of our faces. I moved mine upwards to kiss him, placing my hand on his cheek.

We both jolted away from each other suddenly immediately withdrawing our hands. The sound of the front doors opening dug the pit in my stomach further. We both turned towards the doors - the silhouette of four figures stood there. We tried to discreetly move away from each other.

"Mother. Father. You are early" Draco said, a slight waver in his voice as the figures entered the house.

Draco's parents came first, the hunched over figure of wormtail behind them, edging away from Lucius as he came further into the house. I knew it was inevitable, but I didn't expect to see Snape stood in the house so soon. I desperately tried to hide the way I was shaking as me and Draco stood up to face them.

"Change of plan" his father responded removing the cloak he was wearing over the same outfit he had worn yesterday. Snape's eyes were locked onto me, not breaking for a second as I tried to avoid his gaze but I could feel his stare burning into me.

"Helena, I trust you found your trunk. Severus arrived last night with it" Narcissa said to me. I swallowed as quietly as I could.

"Yes. Thank you Professor" I said, the terror in my voice still clear through my efforts to hide it.

Snape looked me up and down, I was unable to figure out what he was thinking from the blank expression on his face.

"Welcome Helena" he said. "I have work to attend to" he said and without waiting for a response from Narcissa or Lucius, he flicked his cape, making his way to the stairs before ascending them out of my view.

I glanced towards Draco, the same look of uncertainty on our faces. I was terrified of him exposing what he surely knew - that I was lying. But here he was acting as though my story was entirely believable. I questioned if he was under some sort of spell, though I couldn't think of a reason why he would be.

"We shall go then mother" Draco said grabbing my wrist and beginning to walk backwards in the direction of the staircase while Lucius made his way into the next room that contained the dining room.

"Oh um, yes goodnight" she said before scurrying off following Lucius, me and Draco left alone in the room. We shared another look with each other before we walked over to the staircase.

...