They call me a criminal

Chapter 61

I slowly made my way back to the common room passing the closet Draco and I snuck into. I shook my head almost disgusted with myself. He only started showing an interest in me on the train, that could be for many reasons. His father could have asked him too. I stopped thinking about Lucious for a moment. He wants me dead almost as much as he wants Harry dead. I scoffed at myself, it was clear Draco was just using me, and it didn't take much of a fight.

As I entered the common room I saw Fred and George sitting beside a girl named Angelina. I sat down on the couch beside Hermione. "Harry told me what Umbridge did to you guys? Are you alright?" I nodded, examining my hand which still had dry blood stained over it. "He looks awfully happy over there," I motioned towards Fred. Hermione slowly looked over and sighed, "George was talking to us the other day. He didn't say exactly why but I really don't think it had anything to do with you. Fred is still in love with you." I shook my head, "it looks like it." She gave me a small smile, "come on Clara. You know how madly in love with you he was these past two years. Think of it this way. Imagine it was Fred in your position. Say you grew up with a happy big perfect family, and then you got a glimpse of someone really really dark. Say he lost everything you did, sure you'd know bits of it. But it's never actually real until you witness it yourself. It wasn't right for him to break up with you, but what he saw just wasn't what he expected." I contemplated this for a moment. Fred really didn't know darkness until I entered his life. "I don't want to lose him." Hermione nodded, "then fight for him, like you've fought for everyone else in your life."

I bit my lip, "I know... it's just I've done something really bad." She leaned forward, "Clara. You can tell me." I shook my head, "if I were you I would hate me. Harry and Ron would too. I don't know why I did it. He just made me feel something different. Maybe I did it because I know Pansy would be furious. Either way it makes me a terrible person." Hermione slowly nodded, "who, what happened with this guy?" I bit my lip, "look I know he's a bad guy. He's done and said awful things. But he was just so understanding. I realize now it was all probably a front, because his father wants me dead." She sighed, "I think I know who this is." I put my head in my hands, "I had sex with Draco." She pulled my head up to look at her, "this is going to stay between us forever. I promise you Clara. Fred doesn't have to know, because he broke up with you. Remember that." I took a deep breath, "are you sure you're not upset?" She squeezed my hand, "not at all. You're in a vulnerable place right now. I know that." I leaned back, "thank you." She stood up, "of course. Goodnight." I nodded, "I'll see you up there."

I pulled my defence against the dark arts textbook out and began scanning through the pages. "Detention on the first day?" I turned around at the sound of Fred's voice. He sat down next to me and I stared at him, "what are you doing?" He shrugged, "I told you we could talk after classes today." I bit my lip, "I'm just curious what part made you change your mind about me? Was it when I was helpless and bleeding out, or when I killed my father. Help me understand." Fred sighed, "it wasn't anything I saw. What happened to you, it was all horrid." I sighed, "you were so in love with me. You made me feel as if I was the only person in the world sometimes. You could always tell if something was wrong. I loved every minute I spent with you." He shook his head, "that's the thing Clara, I am madly in love with you. Which means if I lost you, I would lose myself." I looked at him, "what does that mean Fred?" He sighed, "Clara what I got from watching your memories was that there are a lot of people who want you dead. What if one of them succeeds. I'm not strong enough to defeat a death eater, I would be responsible for your death. That's not something I can do." I grabbed his hand, "Fred. I know what it's like to feel responsible for someone dying. Hell, I am responsible for both of my parents deaths. I want you to know never in a million years would I blame you if anything happened to me. They wanted me dead long before we started dating. You made me fall in love with you Fred. In a time where I thought I was at the lowest point in my life. Don't give up on us now." He moved closer to me using both of his arms to hold me against his chest. "I don't want anything to happen to us Clara." I closed my eyes, "if I'm going down it will be the biggest fight of my life Fred, because I don't want anything to happen to us either."