Devotion

Chapter 11

I didn't talk to Draco at all the next morning, despite his attempts at conversation. My goal was to avoid interacting with him at all that day. But sadly, the professors had other ideas.

Apparently the seats we sat in yesterday were our seats for the rest of the year. And for the two classes we missed yesterday, since we both missed them, we were put together.

So I did the only thing I could do. I ignored him. I ignored him when he apologized, and tuned him out when he tried to explain himself. I shrugged away whenever he tried to touch my arm or grab my hand.

It did hurt to push him away and give him the silent treatment. But he had made me mad and upset, and I needed to stand my ground. I couldn't just let it slide, I wouldn't be a pushover.

By our second class, Care of Magical Creatures, his attempts had grown weaker, like he was starting to give up. But I still refused to look at him, to see his expression.

If I looked at him, I knew I would feel bad. And if I felt bad, I would give in and start making up with him again. And I would, eventually. But Draco needed to know, to feel, how much he hurt me.

But I might've been too harsh. Because in History of Magic, he wasn't even there. And at lunch, no one knew where he was. I dodged questions about what had happened between us, but Pansy clearly knew we had a fight of some sort.

In potions, Draco once again was nowhere to be seen. And I couldn't help but worry slightly. Was I being too mean to him? Would he do something stupid because of it?

I was so lost in thought that I was about to drop an ingredient into my potion that would've blown up the classroom, had Slughorn not stopped me. He then made me sit out the rest of class.

As I was packing up my bag and getting set to leave, Hermione walked up to me. I scowled under my breath.

"What do you want?" I snarled, turning away and putting my bag over my shoulder.

Her face fell slightly but she quickly recovered, and calmly said, "Fine, be mad at me. I'm pretty sure I know why you are, but I don't want to get into that right now with you.

The reason I'm here is because I think I know why you aren't talking to Malfoy. But please don't fight with Malfoy over my decision."

I crossed my arms. "I will fight with him if I want to! He betrayed me! He sided with you instead of me!"

"Betrayed you? Sided with me? Oh my Merlin, Evelyn, you're so dramatic. No wonder you two were matched. He just made a suggestion—" she laughed.

"But—"

"Listen Evelyn. I know you don't like listening to me, but please. You're hurting him a lot, sis. And it's over nothing. I wouldn't care if he did something really wrong, in fact, I most likely would agree with you, but this was such a small disagreement," she told me.

"I don't care how small it is, it's still a problem, Hermione," I pointed out.

"But is it worth ruining your wedding over? Because in case you're forgetting, you two are supposed to be marrying each other tomorrow," she reminded.

My face paled. No wonder Draco had been trying so hard to make things right between us today. And that's why he had been so upset that he ditched our third class and everything after.

In ignoring him and refusing to forgive him, I had signaled to him, unwittingly, that I didn't want to marry him.

"Oh Salazar," I muttered, before bolting out of the potions room.

~

"Draco!" I yelled, face slightly sweaty from running as I burst into our dorms.

"Evelyn?" he asked hesitantly from the table in our living room.

"Thank Merlin you're here," I said, taking a seat beside him. "Look, I'm sorry for ignoring you and not listening earlier, I was stupid—"

"You're not stupid, Evelyn. You were sticking up for yourself, even if it meant standing against me, and I admire you for that," he assured.

"So you're not upset?"

He shook his head. "No, I am upset. But not at you. More just at the situation we're in," he confessed.

"I don't much like being in an argument with my fiancé either," I agreed.

"Well look, I'm sorry Evelyn. I know you wanted me to be on your side, and I would like to be on your side too. But I've already backed something I didn't agree with, and it didn't end well. I don't want to ever do that again. So I'm sorry, but I'm going to back what I believe in, even if it puts me at odds with you. And I believe that your sister should live her life the way she wants to, even if you don't like it," he proclaimed.

I sighed. "And I shouldn't ask you to change what you think because of me. It's wrong, you should always do what you think is right, not what I think. I see that now," I conceded.

"So is it right for you to change your sister's life because of what you want? You didn't like it when she tried controlling yours," he pointed out.

"I suppose you're right," I admitted, taking his hand in my own. "I'm just going to miss her a lot," I said sadly.

Draco smiled at me. "Well, you're in luck. It's not going to be a complete cure for missing her, but I hope it helps. I've been making them during all the classes I skipped today."

He passed me a book, and I looked at it blankly. On the front was a nice picture of me and Hermione, but other than that, it was just a plain looking journal.

"Erm, thanks?"

He just laughed. "I guess I should explain it more. These are two-way journals," he told me, holding up a twin journal in his hand.

"If you write in one, it will appear in the other, and vice versa. That way, you two can communicate without waiting for owls to deliver letters. Oh and it'll both heat and light up once the other person writes something, so you'll know when either of you wants to talk," he finished.

I just stared at him in astonishment. Then back to the book, then back to him. Then, without warning, I jumped onto his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck, knocking him backwards.

Before he said a word, I kissed him. Again and again. "This—is—perfect," I said, in between my onslaught of kisses.

He flipped us over, and I let out a small squeal. He began kissing me down my neck, and I moaned quietly. "All for you, love," he murmured, his lips feeling velvety on my throat.