||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 40

"Tell me that wasn't really you," he growled into Draco's face, "tell me you didn't kill her."

Draco was dumbstruck. Not to mention in the desperate need of taking a full breath, "It wasn't me." He choked out, "can't- can't breathe."

"Don't lie to me," Theodore said, his voice dangerously low.

"Let him go," Hermione said, trying her best not to sound scared, "let him go, Nott."

"No," Theodore said, Draco tapped helplessly at Theodore's arm, begging him to let go. Draco's wand had fallen out of reach. 

"Let go now!" Harry said, the command in his voice very audible. 

"You really think I'd do that?" Draco managed to gasp out, "I loved her just as much as you, I would never."

"You clearly didn't read the article," Theodore let him go with a scoff.

Draco hadn't read the article

 He'd seen the headlines and lost his bearings. 

"It said you were spotted near her house minutes before the incident," Potter clarified at the perplexed look on Draco's face. 

Draco's breathing became laboured. To know that the last face she had seen before she had been killed had been his, to know that she had died thinking he had killed her, was devastating. Draco reached for his throat, wishing that Theodore's hold were on it once more so that this time he may actually die. 

"No," he breathed. 

Hermione's hand was over her mouth, she was having difficulty holding back sobs. Potter looked on solemnly. 

"Swear to me," Theodore said, his eyes red rimmed, "swear to me it wasn't you."

"I swear," Draco beseeched him, "I swear it wasn't me, I could never do that."

"Fine," Theodore turned away, "you're still a git for running away. We were worried."

Draco felt very small. 

"Theo," he said without really wanting to, "I'm sorry."

"You'd better be," Theo came forward to embrace him, patting him brusquely on his back, "don't ever do that again."

Draco patted him back, then let go. Theo sniffled, and cracked a small smile. Hermione and Harry had moved to the other side of the kitchen to give them some space.

"You and Granger, eh?" Theodore asked in a voice near a whisper, so that only Draco could hear.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco shook his head, but couldn't help smiling.

"I can see it," Theodore said solemnly, "you both, you're- you fit."

"She's mad at me," Draco rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, go apologise and get her back," Theodore said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I will," Draco said, looking Theodore full in the eyes. He really had missed his old friends.

"I have to be off now," Theodore announced. He fastened his cloak around his neck. 

"Take care, mate," Harry said, patting him lightly on his back. Hermione offered him a small smile. With one last glance at Draco, Theodore turned on the spot and vanished.

Draco felt light, like some of the weight had been lifted from his shoulders. A part of the boulder of guilt had been broken off. It felt great.

"There's some treacle tart left," Potter opened the smaller than usual refrigerator, and took out a plate of some gooey, mushy blocks of what Draco assumed was tart.