Unaware {M.R.}

forty

Wednesday.

'Kill him, boy.'
'He's just a boy.'
'Quiet, Zoe.'
'I had no choice, Zoe.'
'I'm so, so sorry.'
'Probably upset about Potions marks.'

The words haunted my dream. The image of how frightened Draco was. The feeling of how I shook in Theo's arms. The sound of Dumbledore dropping to the floor.

A nightmare that wouldn't end. Until it did.

I sat on my bed, unable to sleep. It was only three.

How could I not sleep? I usually never stayed awake or even woke up, but now I, of all people cannot sleep. A nightmare I was waiting for to end.

-----

By Wednesday's Lunch, everyone knew that Dumbledore was in the Hospital Wing.

A bad fall down the stairs, the rumor was.

Not true, but what could I say? Nothing.

Theo, Draco and I seemed normal- enough. Of course we had to be. Even though Draco found it hard, he managed. All three of us did.

But it was hard. Dumbledore and Snape both knew that Draco was guilty, but yet he stayed untouched.

Snape didn't do a thing during Potions. Gave us a potion to brew, then marked tests. It was like he was avoiding contact with any learner. Even second and first years.

By the time school was over, Draco had returned to his dorm. Theo had to retake an Astronomy test he had skipped a while ago, and Pansy had extra Herbology classes.

And I was rushing my way out of the overly crowded corridors.

Just the feeling of someone else's skin made me hyperventilate. What for, I cannot answer. I just couldn't be around other kids.

Eventually I slipped behind a building's corner, where not even Hagrid would look for students. The place Theo brought me often to picnic.

I loosened my tie and unbuttoned my shirt, loosened my hair, and dropped my bag, before dropping down onto the grass, dropping my head down onto my knees that were against my chest.

"Zoe?"

My head sprung up, suddenly meeting worried brown eyes.

"Zoe, are you alright?"

Those words made my eyes swell, but don't show it, I reminded myself.

I pushed my hands over my eyes, pushing away the tears.

"Never better," I lied.

"Zoe," he said as he sat down two meters from me. "Don't lie to me. Come on, what's wrong?"

I sniffled, shaking my head. "I'm fine, Mattheo. Leave it."

He sighed. "I heard what happened to Dumbledore," he said as he looked towards the forest. "Stairs at Hogwarts are a bitch-"

"He didn't fall down stairs!" I yelled, making him look at me.

I was so frustrated with that rumor, I just had to say it. But I couldn't. Yet I did. And maybe Mattheo wasn't the right person, but who else could I tell.

"He didn't fall down stairs. He didn't slip. He got hit with a spell. There's a massive fucking difference!"

Mattheo sat frowning. "How do you know this, Zoe?" he asked, clearly confused.

I sighed, pushing my hands through my hair as I forced the tears back. "I was there. I heard it all happen. It- I- he didn't fall. He didnt- he was hit with a spell, Mattheo."

He moved closer to me. "Zoe, what happened?"

I sniffled, letting a tear fall from my eye. "Death Eaters happened, Mattheo. Snape, Draco's parents, Theo's dad, some woman. They happened, Mattheo. Death Eaters were here."

I turned my head, yet still laid my head on my knees. Another tear fell.

"My God, Zoe. Why don't you tell anyone?"

I let out a laugh. "Who? Dumbledore? Snape? Theo? Like they don't already know."

"Theodore was there?"

I sniffled. "He kept me quiet." I sighed, looking away from Mattheo. "I shouldn't be telling anyone this. It's not right."

I stood up.

"Zoe," he breathed as I picked up my bag. "Zoe, stay."

I sniffled. "I, uh. I can't. Sorry, Mattheo. Uhm- I'll see you around."

"Zoe, please," he sighed.

Yet I still walked off. It was nice telling someone what happened, I just don't know if Mattheo was the right person yet.

When I returned to the corridors, I made a swing by the surprisingly visitorless Hospital Wing. There, I made my way to Dumbledore.

He smiled welcoming me.

I sighed. "Professor, is Draco in trouble?"

At first Dumbledore looked at me blankly, but then he must've realized that I knew, and shook his head.

"I will not expell the boy. He is only a child."

I nodded lightly. "And will the situation be reported?"

Dumbledore gave a single nod. "I already have. What happens beyond that is not of my control."

I nodded, before hearing other children enter. I stood up, greeted, and left.

-----

Thursday.

"That's a joke, right?" Pansy asked as she reached over the table, stealing some blueberries from my plate.

I scoffed. "How dare you!" I teased.

She grinned, popping a few into her mouth.

"Oh, shoot me," I said, sitting back, opening my mouth.

She grinned, and sent blueberries flying across the table. She was a good shot.

The more I leaned back, the more blueberries she shot towards me. Eventually I reached the end of the bench, before slipping off, falling back.

Yet, two hands caught my back before it hit the ground. I opened my eyes, seeing Mattheo looking down at me.

I smiled softly as he pushed me to sit back up. "Thank you," I said, and he smiled before walking a little down the tables, eventually sitting down.

Theo beside me looked at him, them back at me. "He's a lot more alive lately," he said as he dished spinach into my plate.

"Theo?" I groaned, glaring at him.

He mocked my words, before looking at Pansy who rushed the blueberries down her throat.

"He hasn't ditched a class in weeks. He's been at every meal, and for the last two days he's been in the common room every night when we go up to our dorms. He's very different."

I nodded, but said no word.

He was different. A good different. An odd different.

[1015 words]