My Father Can't Hear About This | Draco Malfoy

Death

Draco followed in line behind the other evils. Harry and I followed sneakily behind them. Bellatrix and some of the others were too busy creating their own commotion on the way toward the castle to bother wondering if anyone was following them. 

Harry continues his march towards the castle after them, an angry grip on his wand. 

"What do you think you're doing?" I ask him once they are out of sight. 

He turns to me. "I am going to put a stop to this." He huffs.

"By yourself? Against like eight Death Eaters?" 

"THEY KILLED HIM!" He exclaimed. He takes a breath. "They killed him, Eleanor..."

My heart broke for him. I knew Dumbledore and I shared a sort of bond specifically over Draco, but Harry and Dumbledore had a different, more defined, relationship. "I know, Harry." I say, pulling him in for a hug. He embraced me. I knew it was what we both needed right now. 

Our embrace was interrupted by the sound of a thousand window panes shattering in the castle, and a loud cackle to follow. "Shit.." I say. We could then hear their voices running in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. In the direction of Hagrid's hut. Harry looked at me, a sense of revenge in his eyes. "Go. Be careful." I tell him. He gave me a nod, and ran after them. 

I, on the other hand, made my way back into the castle. I passed the entrance, and began to pass the Great Hall, when I took a look inside. The candles had all been blown out. The tables and the dishes on it were destroyed. Glass particles were everywhere, even spilling out into the hallway. It took a lot for me to not cry at the sight of seeing something once so beautiful now gone. I continued on. 

The halls were empty. No student or teacher could be found. Could the Death Eaters have killed them all off already? Could they be roaming the castle, picking off each student one by one?

I rounded a corner to find students of all houses lined up on their way to the courtyard. I began to run in that direction, pushing students out of the way to make it outside. I pass Professor McGonagall, a somber look stuck on her face. She knows already, I thought. It was confirmed, though, when I step even farther forward to see what everyone was huddled around. 

Dumbledore's body laid on the ground in front of the Astronomy Tower. I could not believe that he was just up there speaking to me just moments ago. And now the entire school is wondering what had happened. 

Thunder rumbled above us. Looking up, I saw dark ashy clouds covering the sky. A skull-shaped cloud formed just above the scene. I turn around. Hermione and Ron were next to Hagrid and McGonagall. Hermione was shedding tears while Ron was wordlessly comforting her. Hagrid was dumbfounded at the sight, and I could not accurately express the melancholy on McGonagall's face. She did not shed a tear, though. Instead, she lifted her wand high above her head, and the tip lit up. 

The rest of the students did the same. Every single one of them raised their wand in honor of Dumbledore, including me. Before my emotions overwhelmed me again, I ran back inside the castle towards the dungeons. Some other Slytherins could be seen headed in that direction too. They seemed to have seen enough, as well.

I make it to the common room and find a couch to collapse on. I lay down and bury my head in the pillow next to me. Silently, I cry. Students passed me by, I suppose headed to their dorms where they felt safer, but I couldn't make it there. I was too weak. My body could not take another step without releasing this emotion. I had never felt like this before.

"Eleanor.." I hear a soft shaky voice from the door. My head jumps up, only to find my very own murderous boyfriend awaiting my response. I did not react. I think the spiteful look I was giving him said enough. "Elle.." He said, putting his wand in his coat and stepping towards me. 

"Do not come any closer." I order him. He stops.

"I did not know you were there... I'm sorry." 

"Fucking what?" I shriek. "So if you knew I was there, then Dumbledore would still be here? You or Snape wouldn't have fucking murdered him?!" 

"That's not what I meant. I-" He pauses as someone else marches through the room on the way to their dorm. "I wasn't going to do it. I was ordered to.. but I couldn't kill him. Like he said, I'm not a murderer.."

"You're a Death Eater, Draco!" I exclaimed, standing up and advancing toward him. 

"Yes, and you already knew that!"

I am in arm's reach of him now. I shove him back. "I didn't think you'd be doing something so stupid!"I shove him again. He just backs away with each shove, letting me go at him all I want. I could only do it so many times before he hit the wall behind him. "Now what do you think is going to happen to us? I am probably going to be killed, Draco! KILLED! I'M A FUCKING MUGGLE-BORN!" I remind him. He drops his head.

"I won't let that happen." He states, as if I had a reason to believe him.

I push him against the wall once more. "I saw a different Draco up there tonight." I say softly to him with heartbreak in my voice. My eyes began to water again. "I thought I knew you.." 

He lifts his hand to wipe away my tears, but I pull away at his touch. "Don't touch me, Malfoy." I wipe my own tears away. 

"So we are back on last name basis now?" He asks.

"I don't know what we are on, but it's nothing good now." I assure him. 

He looks away hurt and droops his head once more. "I'm sorry."

"I never should have fallen for you." 

His eyes widen at that thought. "Elle, I had no other choice tonight. It was kill or be killed. Do you want me killed?"

"I didn't want either of you killed!" 

"Eleanor, I'm still the same Draco you've been getting to know.. I've had some secrets, but I had no choice. It was to protect you. I did not want you involved in this but.." He wipes away a singular tear that had begun to form in his waterline. "I fell for you. And then it was too late."

"Don't give me that shit.. please." I say turning away from him. 

"I've never felt like this before you. I've never cared for someone as deeply as I've grown to care for you. I'm sorry that I'm a Death Eater, it wasn't by choice, I can assure you that. I'd be happy with you right now if it weren't for the family I was born into, and Dumbledore would still be here. But it's not my fault." 

I had no idea whether to believe him or whether to give it up. I had fallen hard for him. It was easy to want to believe someone that you cared so much about. But it was also easy to convince yourself to hate them when you really don't. And that person for me was Draco. 

"Draco, I don't need you. Not like this. Not if you're.. one of them." I stammer, trying to hold my ground and not cry anymore. 

"But, El-" He reaches out to me, and I back away. 

"It's over." I say as I make my way up to my dorm.