Hunted AIAOY 3

Chapter 15

While the Hogwarts Express hurried across the frozen landscape, Rebecca waited impatiently.  She was ready to see Harry, to tell Hermione about what Charlie was going to send as soon as he got his dragon sanctuary to sign off on it, Rebecca was ready to be back at Hogwarts.

That's what she told herself, anyway.

Thinking about having hardly been back at the Burrow long enough to settle in before the holiday ended--thinking about the last hugs and kisses all of the children had gotten on the platform for the months until school ended--left this prickling, painful feeling at the back of her throat as if a quaffle was stuck.

In the end, Rebecca decided it was better to not think about it at all and instead to pour herself back into the work she had let fall to the back burner in the name of Christmas.  "I'll be back."  

"It's early to change, isn't it?"  George asked, sitting up and wondering if he had to hurry.

"Not changing."  Rebecca closed the door behind her without offering more explanation.  This wasn't done out of rudeness, mind you.  George hadn't asked where she was going, only if it was time to change.

"Where's she off to then?"  Fred grumbled, stretching and rubbing at the back of his head sleepily.  He had been happily wandering in that in-between realm where you weren't quite asleep but not quite awake when Rebecca had got up.  

"Wouldn't you like to know."  Ginny said under her breath, paying no attention to the pathetic behaviour of her brother.

"What was that, Ginevra?"  Ginny closed her dog-eared copy of Quidditch Weekly she was looking through for the thousandth time and raised an eyebrow, not offering any words until the error was fixed.  "Ginny."  Fred repeated, acting as if he never said anything else.

"Nothing, Fred."  Ginny returned to her reading.  He sighed and sat back, looking out the window, as Rebecca worked her way down the length of the train.

She had a destination in mind.  Peeking into the compartments she passed, as many empty were also occupied.  At the last compartment towards the back of the train, however, she found who she was looking for.

"Hello, Draco."  Rebecca sat without invitation across from him.  "Did you have a nice holiday?"

"It was fine."  He intoned without feeling.  He had picked a secluded spot on purpose and he wasn't entirely sure why she was disturbing it.  "What are you doing in here?"

"I wasn't sure if you had found a chance to speak to your father."  Rebecca asked, sensing that there was no positive answer to the topic.  Draco wouldn't look so defeated it there had been.

"What's done is done."  Draco cleared his throat.  "The beast dies."

Rebecca was quiet, clearly going over how she would respond to him carefully.  Draco could act as awful as he wanted, but at that moment it was clear he didn't want that any more than Rebecca did.  "Did you like your gift?"

Draco met her eyes, confused as to why she wasn't telling him that he'd failed.  "Yes, thank you."

Rebecca felt like Draco wanted to be alone again, and there was nothing else to say.  "I'm going to get back then.  Thank you for trying."

Draco waited until the door to his compartment had closed again, with a little extra time to really make sure no one heard him.  "I'm sorry I couldn't help."

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