two rings and bad things

46_ hogwarts express

September quickly approached, which meant the start of another school year.

Everyone had boarded the Hogwarts Express already; Ed was on prefect duty, but was concerned when she didn't see Draco in the prefect compartment.

Where is he? She wondered.

She knew he was honored to be a prefect last year, it wasn't like him to not show up.

She was becoming more and more worried by the second, especially when she still didn't see him when checking on other students on the train.

She thought she would for sure see him here, and started to panic.

"Please tell me he's okay," she whispered, looking up to the universe.

She finally headed towards the back of the train and decided to peer into the compartment with Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, and Pansy.

She regretted it instantly.

Sure enough, there her boyfriend was, with his head in Pansy's lap.

She felt her heart sink into her stomach, a pain worse than anything she had ever felt.

The betrayal ran so deep, especially because he was with Pansy.

She stood there, numb with emotion.

The one person she always trusted had cut her deeper than the sharpest knife.

This was exactly why she thought should only ever rely on herself.

Draco noticed when she stood there, how her eyes filled with longing and hopelessness.

He knew she would look for him, and had planned for her to see him with Pansy all along, but that didn't make it any less difficult.

He never wanted to have to do this.

It was so uncomfortable being in Pansy's lap; he wanted nothing more than for it to be Ed instead of her.

He would never forget the way her gentle fingers brushed through his hair, making the world around them stop-

"Why do you keep staring at the door?" Pansy suddenly asked.

When she glanced over, no one was there.

"Oh, just... thinking."

He wasn't even paying attention to the conversation about the Slug Club anymore.

He hated seeing Ed hurt like that.

But he had to keep her safe and was pretty sure he would break down if he told her what was going on, even if he had the chance.

If she knew, he would be risking her life.

And he would never put her in the face of danger, even if that meant breaking her heart first.

"What do you, think, Malfoy?" Pansy asked.

He was snapped back into reality, making up some bullshit so his friends thought he was actually listening.

"Slughorn? Well, who cares what he's interested in? Just some stupid teacher," he yawned.

"Besides, I might not even go to school next year.

"Hogwarts, what a pathetic excuse for a school. I think I might pitch myself off the astronomy tower before I have to continue for another two years."