promised / arranged sequel

05.

I fell asleep without changing out of my clothes from the previous night. I had too much racing through my brain to change and I didn't feel like moving after I kicked Elise out.

I think I was scared.

I felt like someone or something was watching me, analyzing me. So I laid down and slept, keeping a blanket over my entire body to shield the watching gaze away from me.

I only slept for three hours, though. I don't think either of my parents slept either. I could hear them talking in the office next to my room. Even through their hushed whispers and low tones, I could tell it was them talking.

Mum only mentioned talking to the school once, and she said it was a pain in the ass. They gave her shit, but eventually took me off their lists. Dad was pissed already, but this whole situation seemed to have him on edge.

"Is this a good idea?" Mum had asked him.

To which he replied, "I don't know."

Something had happened when we went out yesterday and I was determined to figure it out. I wanted to know what had freaked him out so much that they'd be questioning something they'd seemed so certain about two days ago.

I crept out of my room and made my way toward the door, pressing my ear up against the surface. I held my breath as their voices became more audible and their conversation was no longer private.

Only God knows how long they'd been up talking, but all I cared about was discovering the subject matter.

"Draco, we're okay," Mum said. Her tone was soft and it mirrored how she spoke when either me or Juliet was hurt.

"Are we?"

There was a long pause before either of them spoke again.

"We've lasted this long. We've come too far to fuck up now," Dad said.

"We aren't fucking anything up, I swear to you. And if, if, it all goes to shit we can take it."

They both sighed loudly and didn't speak.

I was worried they'd noticed me standing outside the door. They went completely silent and my heart pounded. I turned to walk away and looked at my door, my hand still on the doors surface.

But they spoke up again.

I snapped my head back to the door and pressed myself up against it again. Something in me told me I shouldn't listen, but I needed to know what was going on.

"Surely Hogwarts is safer than it was. With McGonagall in charge, anyway," Dad said.

"It can't be as bad as it was," Mum agreed. I zoned in on their voices. They weren't trying so hard to be quiet anymore and I assumed the secrets had been exchanged and the details had been shared. I took a deep breath and backed away from the door again, eyes still glued to the door. If they started talking again, I'd hear.

I took one step backward, praying I'd be able to escape uncaught.

Something lightly touched the back of my leg. My heart dropped to my stomach and I felt myself jump slightly. In panic, I turned my head.

Juliet looked up at me, her eyebrows scrunched together.

"Were you e's dropping on them?" She had a quizzical look in her eyes. One wrong move and she'd sell me out.

"It's eavesdropping and no, I wasn't," I said. She just stared at me, her tiny hands planted on her hips. We were in a stare off. I slowly started taking steps toward my room, keeping my eyes on Juliet until I was inside. She watched me the entire time and I was worried she'd instantly tell them I had been listening.