Villain, D. Malfoy

39. Screams

Pansy:

I ran away.

I left her there.

Draco, I thought. Draco was going to hate me. But I couldn't take her with me. If I did, I would've been locked up too, and I just- I wouldn't. If he ever found out, he would never speak to me again. So, he isn't going to find out; I'll make sure of that.

I can still hear Emerald's vulnerable screams. She kept yelling, asking why I was leaving. But I couldn't respond. I didn't know what to say. Draco was going to loathe me for leaving her there; I kept thinking.

My ankles ache from sprinting out of that basement, and I almost tripped as I went up the stairs. I left before Lucius found me, so I had to be quick with my pace. Once I reached outside, there was no going back. The bus was already gone.

My next idea is to see where Blaise or Draco are. If they found out I disappeared out of nowhere, they might be a bit skeptical. Bringing my fingers up to my hair, I try to make myself look presentable in the hotel's windshield mirror. Sighing, I enter the rotating doors and feel the raw embrace of my skin.

Room 121, I remembered Blaise mumbling his and Draco's room number as we all settled down the first day here. Before I know it, my feet take me down the hall and left. My eyes scan through every door, 119, 120, 121.

I forget about knocking and simply push open the door. "Hello?" My low voice echoed through the room. I peeked my head inside and nothing—no sign of either boy. I even try checking in the bathroom, yet nothing again.

Suddenly, I hear two male muffled voices coming from down the hall. I turn around, and the two men open the door. "Oh," I sighed with relief once I recognized it was actually Blaise and Draco who came in. "There you are," I sat down on the corner of one of the beds.

"What are you doing here, Pansy?" Draco growls as he opens the door for Blaise, closing it behind him. My eyes went straight to his hands, and I noticed he held some sort of letter. It was strange; it was like he was clinging on to that piece of paper until death.

"Just looking for you guys," I murmured.

"What about your roommate?" Blaise spoke up, taking off the black coat he was wearing. Everything was colder in London.

"My roommate? What about her?" I stood up from the bed and roamed the bedroom, trying to think of anything else to say but answer that question.

"Emerald, wasn't she with you?" Blaise added, clearly confused.

Of course, I expected this reaction from Draco. At the sound of her name, his eyes instantly perked up to meet my face. "Emerald. Emerald is your roommate?" He asked. His voice now changed from a low growl to a delicate question.

I tried dismissing the questions, but they quickly caught on. "Answer me, Pansy." Draco now came closer to my stance. I held my breath; I couldn't not tense when I was around him.

"Yeah, yeah, I guess she just slept in." I now walked over to the bathroom to fix my hair once again in the reflection.

"She never once missed the excursions. What do you mean she just slept in?" Blaise cornered me.

"Since when do you care so much about that... filthy heir." Draco spits the insult like there was no tomorrow. We all knew what he did. And we all knew it didn't work. Pretending to despise someone in public will only make you crave them more in private. Everyone knows that, including him. He just doesn't want to admit it.

"I don't- I just started paying attention to her, that's all."

"Blaise? Tell me more, then. I'm sure you know all about her, huh." I saw Draco get near to Blaise through the corner of my eye. "Guys, enough." I turned around and stepped out of the bathroom to face them.

"I'm sure she was just exhausted and decided to get extra sleep, that's all. Anyway, what's there you have on your fingers, Draco?" I tried placing my hand on his, but, undoubtedly, he yanked his away.

"No need to get defensive. I was just asking." I stepped back to stare at him. His gaze was fixed on the wall behind me. "What the hell is your problem?" I gained the courage to say to him. He now stood in front of me while Blaise faced my back.

Without saying a word, he forcefully held the letter up and unfolded it, reading it. "I couldn't bring myself to do it, but now I have to. I know I have to. I won't dishearten you this time, mother. I promise I'll get rid of Draco myself. His blood will be in my own hands, once and for all." He closed the letter once more, "Emerald's handwriting." He whispered.

"How is that even possible-" I tried asking before Draco cut me off, something he typically did. "Tell me how this is her handwriting, yet the paper she wrote it on is a piece of paper ripped from my father's book."

"That's what you two were talking about earlier?" I turned to face Blaise. He simply nodded in response. "We think Lucius faked the letter."

"Why would he even do that?" I tried using my genuinely concerned voice. I knew exactly why. I knew because I saw him. I saw her. I was locked up within his possession. But I didn't do anything about it.

"He despises Emerald; almost everyone does; since she's the heir of Ravenclaw," Blaise answers for me as he tries his best not to sound condescending.

"This wouldn't be the first time my father tries to pull a stunt like this." Draco shakes his head, placing the letter on the marble table in front of us.

"Why the fuck did you leave me there?!" My breakfast managed to make its way up through my throat again as I heard the familiar voice scream. Draco dropped everything when he realized it was her screaming; it was her voice.