|| Star-Crossed ||

39

Monster

THEODORE NOTT
Enzo and I were quiet as I healed her. I wrapped her ribs with bandages, healed the cuts on her face, and started to clean the blood. "Enzo, will you grab me a wet rag?" I asked. He nodded and returned with a damp cloth. I cleaned the blood from her thighs and face. "Did you see it?" Enzo asked. I looked at him. "Did you have to see them do it?" he repeated. I shook my head. "But I heard her screaming." I said. He nodded. I looked at her and my heart ached. "I couldn't stop it, Enzo. I tried. I swear to Merlin, I tried.-" I started. "I know, mate." he said. "There were too many of them and it hurt to stand and I couldn't breathe. I tried to get to her, I tried." I said. He grabbed my arm. "I believe you. It's not your fault." he said. I just nodded. "I should get Potter," I said.

I went into the other room and Harry and Blaise were sitting there, silent. Blaise was drinking and Harry just stared at his glass. "She's ok," I said. Harry stood up and went into the living room. He sat next to her and held her hand. "Why isn't she waking up?" he asked. "She just went through a traumatic experience, her body is probably in shock and she needs rest." Enzo said. He just nodded. "Should we get Draco?" Blaise asked. "Yeah, he needs to be here." Enzo said. Harry looked up. "No, not Malfoy," he said. "With all due respect to you as her brother, Draco is her boyfriend. He deserves to be here." Blaise said. Harry scoffed. "They aren't dating anymore. They broke up." he said. I sat down next to him. "He still loves her," I said. He ignored me. "And she loves him," I added. "No, she doesn't." he said. I sighed. "Potter, the entire time she was being assaulted, I could hear everything." I started. He looked at me and his eyes widened. "She was screaming for help, and she was screaming for Draco. Not for you, not for me, she was screaming for him." I said. He looked at her. "You really want to try and tell me they don't still love each other?" I asked. "Fine," he mumbled. "We can go get him, so you can stay," Blaise said. "No!" I said. They all looked at me with confusion. I can't let them go there. Draco doesn't want anyone to know and it's not safe. "You guys stay here, I'll go." I said. "Are you sure?" Enzo asked. I nodded. Then I walked outside and apparated to Malfoy Manor.

I went to the door and knocked, praying it was Narcissa. And it was. "Theo? What are you doing? It's not safe!" she exclaimed. "I know, I need to see Draco. It's important." I said. "What happened to you? You are all bruised, was it your father again?" she asked. I shook my head. "Please Cissy, I need to talk to him." I said. "Go straight upstairs, don't speak to anyone." she said. "Is- is he here? The Dark Lord?" I asked. She nodded. I exhaled shakily. Then I went inside. I rushed straight up to Draco's room and went inside. I quickly shut the door behind me. He was sitting at his desk and he whipped around with his wand drawn. I put my hands up. "Calm down, mate." I said. He stood up. "Theo? What the hell are you doing?" he asked. "You need to come with me," I said. He laughed. "Ok, let me go tell the Dark Lord I'm going on vacation." he snapped. "I'm serious," I said. "So am I. Theo, I can't leave. It's not an option." he said. "Just for the night, it's important." I said. He lifted up his sleeve and I froze. The Dark Mark. "2 weeks ago. I am being trained now. Everyday. I learn legilimency, occlumency, curses... fuck Theo, I've been praticing the torture curse." he said. I felt ill. "I don't know what to say-" I started. "I'm fine, really." he mumbled. I just nodded. "I have to do this, to protect Caroline," he said. My head whipped and my face dropped. He stared at me. "You are still looking after her, right?" he asked. I said nothing. "Theo?" he asked. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I'm so sorry." I said. His face went stone cold. "I tried, I tried to stop them. I told her to run but she wouldn't leave me behind-" I started. "Theo, what happened?" he asked. "I couldn't stand, I couldn't breathe. He just kept hitting me. Then they took her." I said, I was talking fast and my hands shook. "Theo, who did? What are you saying?" he asked. "I heard her screaming. I tried to get to her but he wouldn't let me. I was too late." I said. "Theo!" he said. I looked at him. "Tell me what happened...now" he said. "The muggle boys. From before. The ones who attacked her when she was a kid. They came back." I said. "Is she- is she dead?" he asked. "No," I said. He stared at me and I just said it. "Her cousin beat me up and they took her upstairs and they- they raped her. All 3 of them." I said. His eyes went dark. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I said. "Where is she?" he asked. "I took her to the clubhouse. She's there with her brother, Blaise and Enzo. She's safe." I said. He gave a small nod. "You need to come with me, she needs you." I said. He turned around and faced the window. "I can't," he said. "What?" I exclaimed. "I can't leave," he said. "Are you mad?! Caroline was just raped and you are going to stay here?" I said. "I have to," he said. "She was screaming the whole time. And you know who she was screaming for, you...Draco. Not her brother, not me, nobody else. You." I said. He looked at me. "She's safe right now. With you and Potter and Blaise and Enzo. Right?" he asked. I nodded. He showed me his mark again. "She's safe, I'm a danger to her," he said. I shook my head. "She loves you," I said. "If she saw my arm, she wouldn't." he said. "You don't know that," I said. He scoffed. "I have to kill Dumbledore." he said. I froze. "That's my task. The one the Dark Lord assigned. You didn't know that." he said. I looked down. "She doesn't love me. She loves a version of me that doesn't exist anymore. I'm a death eater and a murderer. A monster." he said. "Draco, that's not who you are." I said. He ignored me. "Just come see her, for an hour. She needs to know you're there." I said. "No," he said. Fucking hell.