Breath-Drarry COMPLETE

Chapter 42

–Scorpius POV–

Scorpius.

Get out of here, Scorpius.

You'll never be like me. You're no child of mine.

"Dad, but why? I love you."

I don't care, now leave. Leave, and never come back.

"Dad!"

...

I jolted awake. Sweat dripped down my forehead and my temples. My breathing was still quick and harried as if I had just run.

I slowly looked around the dormitory. Surprisingly, no one heard me, though I actually had no idea how loud I was. Sighing, I put on my slippers and made my way to the bathroom.

I looked in front of the mirror.

Nightmares like these are becoming quite common nowadays. Since I got back from winter break. They come out of nowhere. And they're always the same.

"Bugger," I said to myself, "bloody dark circles. I look like an invalid."

I bloody well feel like one too. I sighed before sitting down on the toilet. I'm so damn tired.

I smacked myself on the face harder than I meant to. I crinkled my nose. That didn't wake me up at all.

I trudged to the door with sluggish, heavy eyes, dragging my feet on the ground.

"...Scorpius?"

Delphini was at the door to the boys' restroom.

I had no immediate reaction; instead, I stood as the door opened fully, revealing Delphini in a torn robe with her pajamas underneath. She was crying; tears trails stained her pale cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" I asked calmly, robotically. Inside, I felt a deep turmoil - should I feel sympathy for her, now that she shows up at my door? She probably thinks she has nothing to lose.

Her giant eyes bore into mine. I stared back, barely aware that I was awake.

"Scorpius, I... I have nowhere to go. Let me in," she said, at first pitifully, but she uttered the last few words as a command. That was in her nature.

"No, Delphi... I can't let you in. What if someone comes and sees you here?"

"Let me in, Scorpius," she said more forcefully, her voice sounding like a grumble.

"No, no-" I held the door as she slowly pushed in, "let's go outside, okay? I'll talk with you. Let's just go outside."

We exited the Slytherin common room soon after.

The halls of Hogwarts felt as cool and ancient as they've always felt. Spots of candlelight dotting the damp and dark hallways transitioned into far-away stars as we neared the courtyard entrance.

"When McGonagall brought me into her office for one of her talks, she went on about how... 'Hogwarts is a guardian to us all," Delphini said as we sat on the bench under the huge oak tree in the middle of the courtyard.

She heaved, her shoulders hunched forward, hands clutched the edge of her seat. Her messy bangs covered parts of her face. I sat a good distance away, watching her intently.

"I thought," she said after a second, wiping her nose, "that was a load of rubbish. Does the school have eyes? Have big, old, stone arms to beat up your bullies for you? That stupid, old hag."

Delphini wiped her nose again, making a gross snort noise. She then proceeded to cough up a huge, yellow ball of phlegm, smacking her lips afterward.

"...Gross," I said instinctively.