Dare - Draco Malfoy

Chapter 16: Confession (Part 1)

Maeve:

I take some time to shower and get ready for a relaxing Saturday night. No gatherings tonight. I needed sleep.

I sit myself on the bed, legs crossed and pat the bed as an invitation for Aria to sit with me.

I smile widely

"So! You and Isy?" I whisper even though the room is still empty.

Aria can't hide a huge grin.

"Well.." She starts naughtily. I prompt her to go on.

"Do you remember that day after potions, when I left with her?" She asks excitedly. I vaguely remember this happening. I try to recall.

"It was the day before you were sick" She adds, helping me remember.

"Oh yeah" I continue, now remembering especially what happened right after that moment. In the old classroom.

"Well, we did go to Snape, but he wasn't there." She's sniggering now.

"Okay" I say slowly, expectant to hear what she has to say.

"Well, when we realised the room was empty, she just kissed me there and then" She blurts out quickly, as if saying it fast would minimise the shock this caused me.

"WHAT?" I bellow beaming cheek to cheek.

"Shhh" She places a finger over her mouth laughing.

"There's been tension between us since the night we got drunk and ended up falling asleep next to her" She's awkward now. Shyly looking down.

"Aria I'm so happy for you." I look at her and notice her smile loosen up, leaving her with a more serious expression on her face.

"What?" I ask confused.

"Are you not happy?" I finish.

"I am, honestly. She's amazing" She smiles weakly now and looks up at me.

"But?" I invite her to continue.

"Nothing really, I'm just scared" She finishes, a glum look now evident on her face.

"Of what?" I ask perplexed.

"Maeve are you blind?" She scoffs. I furrow my eyebrows.

She grunts in annoyance "Everything that is going on? Half of Slytherin being death eaters or close. She's like you Maeve." She says a bit more animatedly this time.

"Excuse me?" I retort, a little offended.

"It's not like you can choose where to stand. Don't take it personal, I didn't mean it in a bad way" She tries to fix what she just said.

"I am not a death eater. My parents are aurors." I defend myself, arms crossed.

"Are you really that oblivious?" Her eyes on me, lips parted. She closes her mouth, clicks her tongue and continues

"Honestly, do you really think any of us would have a say in this? Your family history being what it is, the generations of Slytherins behind you. You won't get to choose"

Now she's calmer but I am not. I am raging inside. Why is she accusing me?

"Aria what the hell?" I scoff incredulously.

"How is this even about me now? If you are too scared to be with Isy then don't. But don't come at me" I spit out angrily.

"Maeve, I am not coming at you. I am being realistic. Goyle, Blaise, Malfoy.."

Her eyebrows raise as she says the last name, as if it is obvious he will soon enough be a death eater himself. I push the thought away. 

"Do you think they'll have a choice once He comes calling?"

"Aria, honestly that's enough." I am so baffled at what she is saying

"I'm gonna chill in be, I haven't slept much last night" I finish.

She stands up from my bed and I look away, untucking the covers. I can feel her eyes on me, her body standing still next to the bed. Finally she leaves.

-

The next morning I wake up late. It's a Sunday morning and I really needed sleep. I feel as if Draco is draining my body of all energy.

I get to the great hall for lunch, having skipped breakfast. I had time to put myself together and throw on some clothes. I had put on a short, high waits checkered skirt, and a white wholly sweater. We have no classes, so I only brought my small leather bag with me.

I reach the Slytherin table, everyone is already sitting down.

I look for Aria but I can't find her. I sit at my usual spot. Blaise and Nott are there.

"Hey gu- oh god Nott! What's wrong with your face?"

I bellow as getting closer and sitting I see Nott's face bruised and swollen. A cut through his lower lip. Blaise looks at me from beside him. His face makes me shiver. He looks scared.

When neither respond to me I continue

"Nott?" I look at him with eyebrows raised.

"Oh this? Curtesy of your little friend" He looks at me. His tone is irritated.

"What?" I say confused.

He turns his head to the hall's entrance and nods at a point behind me. I turn to see Draco walking towards the table. I look for his eyes. He walks right behind me as I stared at him, he is impassive. His expression blank. My insides ache.

I turn back to the table with a glum expression. Nott looks at me. For a fraction of a second I can perceive a tone of sadness. But he scoffs and stands up, leaving me there with Blaise. He too, looks at me as he says

"Sorry Maeve, I gotta go too. See you later?" I nod and let him go.

What the hell happened?

I push horrible thoughts out of my mind and finish eating quickly. I want to get out. I need to get air.

I stand from the bench and hurry out of the hall. I see Aria leaving the castle with Isy a few meter in front of me. I choose to turn the other way, and go down, towards the forest, I need to walk for a bit but it's too cold to linger. I'll go to the library after this. I pace down the grass, wet with ice. I stop once I am far from the castle and close my eyes. I take in a deep breath and look around me. It still didn't snow this year but the air is frozen.

-

I walk to the common room to pick up my books and head back out. Aria is not there, and neither is Blaise nor Nott. Nor Draco. I am surprised at the emptiness of the library. There's never many people on a Sunday but today there's less than usual.

Still not wanting to risk to be disturbed I walk further down the aisles. I find a large desk by the middle of the library's length. I sit and place my books on the table.

Having finished herbology yesterday. I still need to catch up on charms and DADA for Tuesday.

I raise my head after some long reading, to find out it has only been one and a half hours since I have been here. I get back to my book.

I try to take in a complex concept about the relation between defensive spells and unforgivable curses. I am completely focused but get distracted by an annoying someone putting books back. I sigh and continue reading. I move my head to get my quill and see with the corner of my eye that same someone still working on the books. I look up. Draco is putting his last book back, he doesn't look at me as he finally turns to walk away.

"Draco?" I say quietly. He doesn't flinch. What is going on? No one is even around.

"Draco!" I say more convinced, still quiet.

He turns

"Yeah?" he asks disinterested. As if he didn't even know me.

"Can I talk to you?" I ask but he turns before I can even finish my question and walks away.