Dare - Draco Malfoy

Chapter 55: Rumors

Maeve:

I never really thought I could find comfort in potions class, but the familiarity of the place makes everything more peaceful. Although Slughorn is even more awkward and uncomfortable as usual, I try to shut all thoughts aside. Try to pretend this is a normal day, a normal potion's class. The end of a normal week, with a normal weekend ahead. I push my fears aside and give myself rest from the atrocities my mind allows thought to.

We rush, just like last time, back to the dorms as soon as classes finish. The buzzing of voices meet my ears coming in. The entire common room seems to have found life again. Students exchanging secretive conversations, unable to keep their agitation quiet. I find Blaise, standing with Nott, their expression similar to everyone else's in the room. One of gossip, of trying to discuss a forbidden subject.

"Hey, umh. What's going on?" I ask as I get nearer to them.

Nott looks cautiously behind. Blaise gives me a forbidding look and answers.

"It's Grindelwald. There's rumours... he's dead. Murdered"

I am a little confused at this. Grindelwald has been locked up for years, he must be decrepit now.

"Grindelwald?" I ask confused.

"Yes. They he killed him" Blaise's expression tells me there's more to the story.

"And—but... why would he go after him?"

"We don't know yet. But if he did, there must be a reason. He was connected to Dumbledore. He must have had information he needed."

Blaises voice lowers as he speaks, keeping his eyes on our surroundings. I see him gulp as his eyes fix on a far away point. I turn. Draco is making his way downstairs, looking, just like I was moments ago, confused by the sudden vitality of the place.

He notices us looking at him and freezes. Our eyes meet, but he quickly lowers them and keeps walking, making his way out of the common room.

The thought of Grindelwald being dead doesn't stir much in me. However feared he was during the first war, he's a thing of the past. However the idea of Voldemort going to lengths to find him for information makes me uneasy. What could he possible have known that Voldemort didn't. Did he get the information he needed? Was he even after information, or what this just a principle thing? That he alone must be the only living wizard ever feared?

Aria Isy and I go straight back to the common room after classes, sitting ourselves on a table at the back of the room to catch up on mostly the insane amount of work the new DADA classes require since it's new post.

Blaise and Nott join us short after, them too quite keen on bringing themselves ahead with the mountain of essays and readings.

As time passes and silence falls, our faces buried on books I see Nott's face lifting, staring at a point behind me. I turn to see Draco walking right towards us. He grabs the chair between Blaise and I and sits, shifting a little closer to me, not saying a word.

Apart from the obvious fact that Hogwarts is now crawling with death eaters, being around Draco without the fear of being caught by the others feels like a relief. As for the rest of the school, it has always been in the norm to see us 6 together. Finding moments when I can speak to him, even just giving him a look without feeling watched, makes all this hell a little easier to live with.

"Should we go somewhere else?" Blaise breaks the silence.

"We can't. Apparently visiting other's dorms has been banned. I'm sure they'll have a way to catch us." Aria responds, huffing.