They call me a criminal

Chapter 69

Heads completely turned, and some students actually stopped to stare as I passed by. I hurried to Dumbledore's office assuming that's where Harry would be. "Going up?" I turned to see Snape behind me. I kept my eyes down, and slowly nodded. "I'm sorry." I looked up as he walked away and bit my lip, he hated Sirius but he really did sound sorry.

I took each step slowly taking a deep breath when I saw Harry sitting across from Dumbledore. "Clara," he whispered. I let some tears fall as he rushed over wrapping his arms around me. I buried my head in his shoulder closing my eyes.

"It's good to see you awake Clara," Dumbledore smiled. "How long was I asleep?" He shrugged, "about a day and a half. Didn't Madam Pomfrey tell you?" I shook my head, "I didn't talk to her, I just left." I looked down at the daily prophet and held it up examining the front page. "How the hell were they allowed to publish this?" I whispered. The picture was Harry holding me in his arms, and I looked dead. My entire body was covered in blood and my eyes weren't even open. "They wanted people to know it was real."

"What happened down there Clara?" He then asked. I took a deep breath, "I went ahead, without Harry. The second I got there Bellatrix and Lucious grabbed me. She wanted to kill me, but she wanted to make it last. She used the torture curse more than once, then they just left me there." He nodded, "Lucious is in Azkaban. Bellatrix is gone." I looked down at the floor, "what happened to Sirius?" Harry bit his lip, "it was Bellatrix." I closed my eyes feeling sick. "Remus is coming to retrieve you later Clara." I wiped my eyes, "I'll take the train, but I don't want to come back." Dumbledore gave me a small smile, "I understand." This made me shake my head, "no, you most definitely do not understand."

I stood up heading towards the door, and sitting down at the bottom of the stairs. I cupped my face in my hands still trying to process everything. "I'm surprised you're here right now." I looked up as Draco came and sat beside me. Without a second thought I let my head fall on his shoulder allowing more tears to fall. "I saw the paper." I sniffled, "Bellatrix did that to me." He put his arm around me resting his hand on my head. "I'm so sorry." I continued to cry, "I am just so angry." He sighed, "I know." We must have sat there for over an hour, until I gently lifted my head. He turned my face towards him wiping my tears away, "it's only going to get worse from here Clara." I closed my eyes, "I know." He offered me his hand as he stood up, "you're going to be fine. You always are."

"Let's go sit by the lake," I whispered. He followed me outside staying quiet. I dipped my feet in the lake staring down at my reflection. I tried to imagine what it would be like tomorrow, going home and not having Sirius instantly greet me. "I wish I could do more," he whispered. "You didn't deserve any of this Clara." I closed my eyes, "I just need it all to stop." He shook his head, "you know that's not possible anymore Clara." I bit my lip, "it would be possible if I was dead." He sighed, "you can't talk like that." I turned to face him, "honestly Draco. I'm so tired of people telling me that. But how can people actually have the nerve to tell me I'm going to be alright. If I was alright, my mother and father would both be alive. I wouldn't be a killer. I wouldn't have went to Azkaban. I wouldn't have watched Cedric die. I wouldn't have been tortured. I wouldn't have lost Sirius. I wouldn't have broken up with Fred, and I most certainly wouldn't be here talking to you." I tensed up at my last sentence, angrily blinking back more tears. I looked down at my arms, there were scars from Bellatrix but they were all healed.

I felt him move closer to me and bring me against his chest. I closed my eyes letting more tears out as he softly rubbed my back. "I'm going to do everything I can to protect you." I scoffed, "Draco, at this his point no one can protect me. Not with how strong he's getting." He nodded, "I can help. Just let me." I sighed, "alright." He put his hand out, "you gotta trust me." Slowly I took his hand, "I do." He held my head against his chest, "it's going to be alright." I bit my lip, "I think I need to run away." He turned to me, "not yet."