Jump

Chapter Ten

The next day, I woke up on the couch in the common room. I could see the fire in the fireplace burning bright and calm and could feel the warmth brushing against my face. I rubbed my eyes and slowly looked around, confused as to how I got here. Draco was asleep on the floor below me. He was on his back with one knee bent and one arm draped over his eyes. His hair was flopped back towards the ground and his shirt was untucked. He looked like a mess but that was how I loved him most. I sat up a little and Draco moaned. He reached his hand up and grabbed my wrist, pulling me off the couch and on top of him on the floor. I laid my head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around my back. I could hear his heart slowly beating, as though it was still asleep.

"What happened yesterday?" He whispered after a few moments of silence.

"I killed him." I said with no emotion in my tone.

I could basically feel his eye lids snap open and he sat up suddenly, causing me to fall back on my heels. He grabbed my face in his hands and looked me directly in my eyes.

"Killed who?" he asked sternly.

"A man." I whispered, not remembering if it had really happened or if I dreamed it.

He blinked at me a few times, soaking in what I had just said before furrowing his brow.

"Who Quinn? What did you do?"

The way those words sounded coming from him, felt like a punch in the gut.

"What- what did I do?" I leaned back, away from him. "I did what I had to. They were going to kill you, and me, and possibly my brother."

"Quinn, I didn't mean it like that, but I need you to tell me what happened." He demanded.

I stood up and began to pace around the room, his eyes watching every move I made.

"I really hated your plan." I said softly. "Pretend to break up so I could befriend potter. It was smart but it hurt. How could you hang out with Pansy?" I trailed off when I realized he was getting irritated.

I sighed deeply before falling to the floor on my knees.

"The dark lord sent for me, so I went to your house." I paused to read his face. "Buuut, he wasn't there. Your father told me that he, the dark lord, wanted me to take care of a few men who were plotting against death eaters." I continued, still watching his face. He had on his stone expression. "When I got there, they left so I went inside and read through their things. They had a book that was full of pictures of death eaters. You were in it and so were your parents. Fynn was in it too and so was I."

"Fynn isn't a death eater." He said, almost in a question.

"No, I know but he was in a picture with my dad. They were marking off death eaters they had killed or that had died and circling the ones that were left, plus their families. So I waited for them to come back and when they did-"

"You killed them." He said flatly. "Who cursed you then?"

"The man, right before I killed him. I think that's why I did it. I was only going to stun them then bring them to your father so he could do it but Draco, you don't know what that curse feels like." I began to explain, almost like I was begging for forgiveness.

"Yes, I do." He whispered, shutting his eyes.

I furrowed my brow and crinkled my nose at the thought of him going through that.

"Who?" I quietly asked, scooting closer to him, and placing my hand on his leg.

"My father. When I was a boy he used it any time I would misbehave." He said, opening his eyes.

He was staring at the wall behind me, almost like he was watching the memory unfold like a movie. I placed my hand on his cheek and he jerked away, turning his gaze to the floor beside him.

"Hey." I whispered.

He quickly glanced up at me and looked as though he brought himself back from wherever his mind had just gone, realizing It was me in front of him and not his father. He grabbed me and pulled me into his chest and took a deep breath.

"I am so sorry." He apologized.

"Draco. It's okay. I am okay. Just promise me you won't leave me alone anymore." I pleaded.

He pulled back and opened his mouth to speak when the common room door flung open and Zabini and Crabbe strutted in.

"Oh, finally you love birds are awake." He joked and Crabbe scoffed.

I darted my eyes to Crabbe and narrowed them at him.

"Do I need to fill Draco in on your little stunt you tried to pull on me a few weeks ago?" I asked, crossing my arms, and raising my eyebrow.

Draco looked confused and raised an eyebrow at me then craned his neck to look at Crabbe.

"What stunt?" he asked.

"Crabbe and Goyle tried to beat up your girlfriend, but I saved the day mate, don't worry." Zabini said with pride, grabbing his collar and lifting his chin high.

"Oh really?" Draco said standing to his feet and shoving his hands in his pockets.

He pressed his tongue to his cheek and began to tap his foot. I stuck my tongue out at Crabbe from behind Draco's back and Zabini let out a laugh.

"Yall are a bunch of children." Zabini joked, shaking his head.

"Well, I guess our cover is blown anyway love." Draco said under his breath, turning back around to me. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes." I replied quietly.

I haven't eaten a proper meal in a week. Some fruit here and there and maybe a few bites of bread but that's about it. I have been so caught up in mine and Draco's plan to fool Harry that I wasn't hungry. Or maybe it was from missing him so much. Either way, I had the other half of my soul back and I was ready for food.

Over the next few weeks, I was miserable. I guess I deserved it after what I did to that man. Draco always reminds me that it was him or me and he is happy I did what I did. But every time I close my eyes, I can see his face. I can hear the crack of the death curse hitting his chest and stopping his heart. I can't sleep and classes are getting harder to focus in. The good news was, we had not been summoned back to Malfoy Manor for the time being. I had Draco and that was more than enough to get me through this.

"I'm scared Draco."

We found ourselves in the tower one night, counting the stars that blanketed the sky above us. We were so high up that every time we came here, I felt as though I could reach up and pluck a star with my fingers.

"Of what love?" He softly asked, laying on his side and nestling his nose into my neck.

"What if the other man finds me? I only stunned him. What if- "

"I won't let that happen Quinn." He whispered.

"What if- what if you leave and he finds me and-"I began to feel my breathing quicken.

Draco leaned up on to his elbow and placed his hand on my cheek. His skin was cool on my face and the smell of apples hit my nose.

"I am not leaving you anymore. I thought that distancing myself from you would keep you safe, but every time I do that, you get hurt and I am not there to protect you. I will not let anyone harm you." He spoke sternly.

The way he said it and the look on his face calmed my nerves. I knew he meant it. I closed my eyes and focused on the feeling of his hand on my cheek, slowing my breathing down. When I opened my eyes, he was standing to his feet and reaching out his hand to offer me help up.

"Come on, I wanna show you something." He smiled.

We walked out of the tower and down the dark, cold hallway. The only noise was the sound of our shoes on the stone ground and the wind whistling past our ears. We turned a few corners until we came to a wall. He turned and looked at me with a big smile on his lips. He spun me around until my back was against the wall and he was pressing his body against mine with one hand on my waist and the other on my cheek. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on my lips then suddenly he was turning the handle on a door. It had appeared behind me. The room of requirements. We stepped inside and he shut the door behind us. This was not the room I was in when Harry brought me here. This one was full of- of junk. There were stacks and rows of objects that seemed to go on forever. He grabbed my hand and gently lead me deeper into the room. We made our way around shelves and stacks of books until we reached a small opening. There was a large piece of furniture covered with a sheet. When he pulled it off, dust flew everywhere, causing both of us to let out a few huffs and coughs. Once the dust cleared and I blinked it out of my eyes, I could see an old piano. Draco dropped my hand and stepped closer to it, running his fingers along the keys. He sat down at the bench and placed his hands strategically on them. He cleared his throat, hunched his shoulders, and pushed his weight into the first note he played, almost as if he was taking a running start.

He began to play a soft melody that seemed almost like a lullaby, humming quietly along with it as if there were words but he refused to sing them. The tune filled the room and felt as though it was twirling around my head in the air around me. It was beautiful. Just like him. I slowly inched closer and sat down next to him. His eyes were closed, like the piano was possessing him to play. I watched his movements as he moved his arms and hands fluidly up and down the keys. His head began to sway with the tune and he continued humming along. I wanted to listen forever. I wanted to watch this for the rest of my life. Eventually he played the last few notes and paused with his hands still on the keys and his eyes shut like he could feel the last note drifting from the piano and out of the room. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at me, studying my face. I couldn't find the words to say. Every day, every moment I found myself falling more and more in love with the boy in front of me. I have come to learn that that's all he was. A boy. Not one who made all the wrong choices, but one who had no other choices to make. No one understood him or cared to, but I did. I wanted to learn everything about him. I wanted to understand.

"My mother taught me to play when I was younger." He finally broke the silence. "She used to play that for me when I had a nightmare. She would sing to me, and it always helped me feel better."

"What was the song about?" I whispered.

"A bird." He turned his attention up to the ceiling and I followed his gaze up to see a small bird, perched on a beam. "It talks about how the bird is caged and everyone around it seems to not notice."

He paused, losing himself in a memory. I wanted so badly to know everything that he thought about. Every detail. Every memory. But I knew that wasn't fair. I couldn't expect a boy who has lived through so much pain, to relive it all. I could wait. Learn things in time. We had all the time in the world. No matter what happens with Voldemort, or his family, one day it would be just us. One day I could look over and see a boy, turned into a man, and feel peace in knowing I didn't let the world break him. He finally brought himself back to me and gave me a small smile before letting out an awkward chuckle.

"No." I whispered. "Don't do that."

He furrowed his brow and turned to me, placing a leg on each side of the bench.

"Do what?" he asked, confused.

"Don't push away that feeling. Whatever it is. Feel it. Remember it. I want you to see that I am here for you. No matter what it is, I won't let anything from your past hurt you."

He smiled and pressed his forehead against mine and closed his eyes.

"I love you, Quinn." He said, placing a soft kiss on my nose.

We made our way back to the Slytherin common room and stood at the bottom of the stairs that led to the dorms. He held me in his arms as I rested my head on his chest and he rested his chin on my head. It was late and we were both tired. I craned my neck to look up at him and he met my eyes with his. I could see the tiny specs of blue scattered around his gray eyes. His long eye lashes that hung over them and his light brows that were constantly furrowed. His pale skin glowed from the light of the fire and his jaw line was strong. His white and silver hair was flopped forward over his forehead. I could see small strands of brown starting to form underneath. He was beautiful and he was mine. He leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead, and I furrowed my brow at him.

"What?" he asked worriedly.

I stretched up on my toes and placed a long, gentle kiss on his lips. I pulled away and he smiled, quickly leaning forward to catch my lips again. After a moment we both pulled away and slowly turned to head up the stairs to our rooms. We watched each other until we were both out of sight. I made it to my door, huffing before I entered the room. I could hear snoring and one girl shuffled around under her sheets when she heard me come in. I quietly made it to my bed, sliding my clothes off and crawling under my sheets. I laid my head on my pillow and closed my eyes. Finally, I was tired. Finally, I could sleep.

'I was woken up by a hand covering my mouth. My eyes shot open, and I could smell alcohol and smoke. The hand was large and rough, and my heart stopped when I saw it was the man from the house in Barnton that I had stunned that night. He was sweaty and his eyes were dark, filled with rage. I glanced my eyes around the room and could see the other girls in their beds still, but my eyes grew large once I realized their throats were all slit. Blood was dripping onto the floor and soaking their bed sheets. I began to whimper and cry but he just pushed harder onto my mouth. He held up a blade to my cheek and I could smell the silver of it and the blood dripping off it, onto my face. He lifted his arm high above his head and I raised my hands to try and grab him. In one quick swoop he had jammed the blade into my neck.'

I sat up screaming. I could feel cold sweat dripping down my arms and face. I shot my hands to my neck but couldn't feel any wounds. I stopped screaming and realized I was in bed. I looked around and the other girls were slowly sitting up to stare at me. My breathing was raged, and my chest was heaving up and down. I slumped forward and placed my head in my hands. It was just a dream. A nightmare.

"I'm sorry." I whispered to the other girls, not looking at them.

I could hear them groan and nuzzle up back under their blankets when suddenly we could hear footsteps hurriedly running up the steps. Our door swung open and Draco, Zabini, Goyle and a few other boys were standing in our doorway. We all shot our attention to them. They all had their wands gripped tightly in their hands, high in the air. Some were in nothing but boxers and other wore some form of sleeping attire. The girls groaned again, and Daphne slammed her body back down, covering her head with her pillow. Once the boys realized nothing was going on, they slowly began to moan and groan as they slumped back to their rooms. Draco was already at my bedside before anyone could blink though.

"What happened? We heard someone screaming in here!" I could hear the sleep in his voice, but his eyes were wide open.

"Uh- Yeah. I had a nightmare. I'm okay though. Go back to bed Draco."

He sighed and sat down on my bed, scratching his head.

"Quinn... you haven't been sleeping lately." He grumbled.

"I know. I just- have a lot on my mind," I tried to make it sound less worrisome than it was, but the look on his face said he didn't believe me.

"Quinn. I promise you, even though I am a room over, I will never let anyone, or anything harm you. I need you to sleep. I need you to be ok."

"Can you guys take this somewhere else for fucks sake!!" Daphne shouted at us.

"Draco I am ok. I promise. I will go back to sleep. Just go. You need rest to." I gave him a groggy smile and he stared at me for a moment before standing to his feet.

I watched him as he walked to the door but instead of leaving, he closed it and walked back to me. He lifted my sheets and wiggled in next to me. My bed was so small that we were practically laying on top of each other, but I didn't mind. I rested my head on his chest and he placed his hand on my head, lightly kissing the top of it.

"Boys aren't allowed to sleep in here." Millicent said with a prudish tone.

"Millicent, shove off." Draco and Daphne shouted in unison.

I let out a soft giggle and then focused my attention to Draco. Listening to his heart beating in his chest. It was slow but loud. Suddenly he began to quietly hum. Just loud enough that I could hear him. It was the lullaby his mother would sing to him when he had a nightmare. I smiled, closed my eyes, and nuzzled into his chest more, slowly drifting off to sleep.

A few months had gone by and even though I was feeling better, the school was getting worse. Some things had happened during the tournament and the ministry of magic decided to appoint Deloris Umbridge as our new Defense against the dark arts teacher. Not because we needed a new one but because they wanted her to keep an eye on the school but if you ask me, that foul woman was more an issue than a solution. One good thing to come of it was that Draco was made a prefect of Slytherin house, buuut so was Pansy. Now she was super annoying, bossing me around and trying to get me in trouble every chance she got. Draco always found ways to get me out of it though. Pansy hated that. I hated Pansy.

It was almost Christmas time again and we were getting ready to visit our families. Narcissa agreed to allow Draco to spend Christmas with me and my family, as long as we visited them before we had to go back to school. As much as I hated Malfoy Manor and everyone in it, Narcissa was his mother and she loved him very much. I didn't mind her. We had not spent very much time together after Draco and I were in year two, but I would have to face her eventually.

Draco and I met up with Fynn at the train station and made our way to an empty compartment. As we sat down, I noticed Fynn and Draco exchanging dirty looks. I rolled my eyes and slapped them both on the chest.

"Boys, be nice."

My brother flashed me a sarcastic smile and Draco just plopped down on the seat. I sat next to him, closest to the window. Fynn sat down in front of me and propped his feet up on my lap. Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes in disgust. I giggled and pushed his feet on to the seat next to me.

"How do you think she is?" Fynn asked, watching the hills roll by out the window.

"I don't know. She seemed good in her letters."

"Yeah, but you know how fragile she is. Now it's our first-time home in so long and you bring... him." Fynn glared over at Draco and Draco pretended not to be listening as he sat with his hands folded over his chest and his eyes closed.

I glanced up at him and could see a small twitch of his jaw. He was listening to every word.

"Fynn." I whispered. "Shut it. She will be fine. Draco has been to our house a million times."

"Yeah, when you two were babies, now you're fucking him." He angrily shouted, throwing a hand in the air.

My cheeks got hot, and I could feel the blood rushing to them. Draco leaned over and rested his shoulder on mine gently, his eyes still closed. I could see a shadow of a smirk on his lips.

"Fynn you're such a child how are you the oldest?" I sarcastically joked.

"Because I am the superior sibling." He said, grabbing the collar of his white button up shirt and holding his head high.

Draco let out a loud, sarcastic laugh. Fynn shot him a dirty look and I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry mate but your sister is definitely the better one." Draco scoffed.

I blushed and Fynn groaned, leaning back against the seat and crossing his arms. I rested my head on Draco's shoulder and looked out the window. He leaned over and placed his lips on my head.

"You ok?" he whispered.

"Yeah. Just anxious to see mom."