Hiraeth // draco malfoy

FORTY FIVE

keep on keeping on

"Draco, I need to talk with you." Hermione said as she approached Draco in the great hall. Pansy eyed Blaise, curiously.

"About?" He asked.

"It's about Ophelia." She told him and he nodded, looking briefly at Pansy before following her out of the hall and down a corridor. "Something's off with her. She's not acting normal."

"She just killed an all powerful dark lord, I don't think you should expect too much out of her right now, Granger." He scoffed.

"Draco, she absorbed all of his powers. That has to do something to someone's psyche. I mean, we all knew that she had this darkness in her because the powers she has are dark magic, but what if a little part of him is inside her now?"

"What? Like a horcrux?" Draco nearly gasped, narrowing his eyes at Hermione, annoyed. She stared at him, with a slight shrug. "Don't be ridiculous, Granger." He scoffed, not believing what he was hearing. "You should be thanking her right now, not accusing her of some bullshit like this."

"Did you see her face when she destroyed him?" She asked, and his eyes adverted away from her. "You did, didn't you. You saw that darkness in full force. Malfoy, she could easily take out anyone who crosses her. She has the ability to do exactly what Voldemort did, but actually succeed." Hermione's voice cracked a little.

"Stop, okay? I know what you're implying, but you know Ophelia. She would never do something like that." Draco scoffed, wanting Hermione to just be grateful that she put an end to this nightmare and move on with it.

"Ophelia, maybe not, but Dru? We don't really know Dru, let alone with all that magic from Voldemort surging in her?" She continued to insist, but Draco just shook his head with a laugh.

"She just sacrificed a part of herself to help you. She was willing to die for you." He said, voice growing stern and slightly angry. "The least you could do is be thankful and not go around with these accusations."

"Fine, I just thought I'd express my concerns to you since you're closest to her." Hermione dropped her arms to her sides in defeat, and then walked away. Draco knew she was hurting, because she lost Ron. But he would die on this hill for Ophelia.

— — —

Ophelia stood outside, taking in the cold air as rain was beginning to slow down. She looked at everything around her and took it all in. All these years of missing memories had come flooding back to her and it was a lot to process all at once. She wasn't sure if she was happy she finally got to remember, or just more confused. "Overwhelmed?" A voice asked, snapping her from her thoughts and she turned briefly to see Severus approaching, standing himself beside her.

"I didn't think the aftermath would feel so... neutral." She told him.

"Neutral?" He questioned.

"I just don't feel anything, if I'm being honest, professor." She shrugged.

"You had to endure an intense amount of pain, emotions and a sensory overload. I'd be surprised if you felt anything else." He chuckled a little. "You do know the consequences of taking in that much power, correct?" She nodded.

"They think I'm evil." She grinned sadly at him.

"They don't. They may be scared of you now, seeing you that way, but they will get over this fear of you and see that you ultimately saved them." He assured her. "You remember when I helped you take control?"