The Boy I Once Loved (DM 18+)

Chapter 4 - Crucio

'Heyy, Bell are you coming for breakfast? ' Cho whispered in her ear.

'No, when they hand the timetables just give it to me when you come back. Harper can tell you what happened.' Bella said, tired.

Cho left her to join Harper for breakfast. Harper told her everything. Cho was furious. How could someone treat her best friend like this? She thought.

While the 2 were eating, someone gently tapped Cho's shoulder. She turned around and it was Draco. His eyes were filled with worry, something Cho has never seen before.

'Bella,' he whispered, 'Do you know where she is?'

Cho stood up to face him. 'No I don't Malfoy,' she lied. 'Even if I did why would you care. After the way you treated her.'

'I just really,' he began.

'Fuck off Malfoy.' Growled Harper.

Both Cho and Draco looked shocked. No-one has ever heard this book- worm swear before.

'Yeah, that's right,' Harper continued, impressed with herself, 'Bella doesn't need you caring for her. So go back to your shitty house and mope over there.'

Draco hesitated a bit, but he eventually walked back to Slytherin's table, clearly embarrassed.

'Oh my Gosh, Harper!!' Cho exclaimed. 'That was awesome!'

****

After breakfast was over, everyone headed back to their dorms and got ready for first period.

'Hey Bell,' Cho said, 'Are you feeling better?'

'Yeah, much better.' she answered

Harper entered the room and hugged Bella.

'Omg, Bell you won't believe what happened at breakfast,' Cho exclaimed. 'None other than Malfoy came up to us and asked where you were, he was worried about you.'

Bella looked at them in disbelief, 'That was a joke right,'

Both of them shook their head.

'Well, why would he do that?' she wondered.

****

Bella headed to her first class of the day, Charms. It was favourite class by far, which lifted her spirit a bit.

She had compared her timetable with her friends, Peter and her were in the same class for Transfiguration and potions. Cho and her had History of Magic and Divination together. She had astronomy with Ben and Herbology with Harper. Defense Against the dark art all 5 of them had it together because Ravenclaw was paired with Hufflepuff. Bella didn't know anyone in Charms and Care for magical creatures.

Bella opened the door to see only a few students already seated in their seats. As usual she was early.

'Good morning professor,' She said politely to Professor Flitwick, who was sorting out his books.

'Ahh, Good morning Bella, my brightest student!' he exclaimed with warmth and kindness.

Bella immediately noticed Draco at the back of the room fiddling with his wand as soon as she came in. She sat in one of the desks in the middle row, and started taking out her supplies.

When class began Professor Flitwick welcomed everyone and (to everyone's disappointment,)he told everyone there would be a seating arrangement.

'Okay,' he said enthusiastically, 'I want Susan and Jacob to be paired and to sit at the front. Hermione and Dean in the middle, Bella, join Draco at the back,'

Oh no, no, no, no, Bella thought. Anyone else in this class, literally anyone else but him.

She made her way to sit next to Draco, her stomach was twisting up into knots, her brain rattling nervously. A whole year sitting next to him, great.

Once Bella sat down she awkwardly flipped through her empty books as a distraction.

'You know it's there's nothing in those books right?' Draco smirked as Flitwick rambled on, still assigning seating arrangements to everyone.

'Yeah, I know, just trying to find ways to avoid you...' She smiling sarcastically

Draco laughed and put his hands behind his head, leaning his chair back in amusement. 'Hey, where were you this morning?'

Bella turned her head away coldly, remembering what happened last night.

Draco's laugh turned into a frown. 'Whisps? I'm sorry, i shouldn't have said that last night.'

Bella turned her head around to face him, 'I'm sorry i don't believe a single word you're saying right now. You're probably trying to play some game with me Malfoy. Please, i really don't want to talk to you right now.'

The whole time in the class they weren't saying a single thing to each other.

'Alright, there are about 15 minutes until the end of class. In these 15 minutes you and your partner will duel. At the end of the year you and your partner will duel again, to see what skills you both have gained.'

Professor Flitwick put each pair in a room to duel. When Draco and Bella entered their room they got out their wands.

'Whisps, I really just want to break this tension, i don't want to fight you.'

'Really, you went from being arrogant to sympathetic. You are unbelievable Malfoy, Bombarda!' she thundered, exploding the ground next to Draco. He fell back and coughed as the dust entered his inhalation system.

'Carpe Retractum!' she shouted fiercely as a gold rope shooted out of her wand, wrapped itself around Draco and pulled him towards Bella.

Draco gulped nervously , squirming, 'Crucio!'

Bella immediately fell down to the ground in pain and screamed uncontrollably.

Draco closed his eyes in pain, watching Bella, 'I'm sorry,' he whispered.

Professor Flitwick burst in the room panic all over his face, 'Petrificus Totalus!' he thundered, freezing Draco in mid air. He rushed over to Bella, unconscious. 'We need Madame Pomfrey!'

****

'Draco,' Lord Voldemort whispered.

'I have a mission for you, I need you to you to hurt a Ravenclaw in your grade. Called Bella Whisps. Use the Cruciatis curse on her. I will not explain myself any further. I have a plan for her. Just do what i ask you to do, Draco, and you and your family will be rewarded.'

****

Draco woke up from his memory, sweat dripping down his face as he realized where he was. In the hospital wing by Bella's side as she was still unconscious. He came after visiting hours were over. After her whole friend group and Blaise left. Draco felt the palm or her hand. So soft, so delicate.

How could he do this to the girl he liked? The moment he realised he had feelings for her was when she saved him from the dementors. He tried to hide his feelings by still bullying her, but that made it worse.

He never got the chance to shoot his shot because his best friend already asked her on a date. He was so stupid. He hated himself, the person he has become.

Bella had a bruised eye, a wound near her ribs, which were wrapped heavily in bandages and a huge bruise that was swollen on her knee.

Seeing her like this, broke Draco's heart. He started sobbing, as he held onto Bella hand as if his life depended on it.

Bella's eyes fluttered open, hearing Draco's sobs.

'Draco?' she whispered, 'What happened?'