|In The Dark|

72

2 WEEKS LATER...
ANNABELLE LUPIN-BLACK

He's persistent, I'll give him that. For someone who hates me the way he does, he's persistent. Theo has tried every chance he got for the past 2 weeks to talk to me. But I don't want to talk to him. I can't. I can't talk to him. I can't look into those gorgeous blue eyes and remember why my favorite color changed. I can't listen to him call me Annabelle instead of Belle. I can't do it. He's not my Theo anymore. I know I said I would be his friend but I don't think either of us realized how painful that would be for me. It physically hurts.

Slughorn was going on with his lecture and I was taking notes as I always do. I sat next to Draco and he was quiet. Draco has me especially worried. He doesn't talk anymore. Not unless he has to. He simply wakes up, goes to lessons, works on the cabinets,and then goes to bed. He only eats when I force him to and he doesn't hang out with our friends. He's like a robot. He isn't himself and it worries me. I know he has a lot going on with the task but he deserves to have fun, to be a kid. "Annabelle," Theo whispered. I sighed as Theo's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Anna, come on. Please." he whispered. "Quiet. Slughorn's talking." I mumbled. He scoffed. "After class, I need to talk to you." he said. I shook my head. "No." I said. He leaned in and I felt his warm breath on my neck. "It's about Draco. Please." he said. I glanced over at him and his eyes were pleading. "Fine." I said. He smiled and nodded.

When class ended, I just followed Theodore as he led me down a hallway and to an old classroom. He opened the door and I went inside. He shut the door and I turned to face him. "Is Draco ok? What do you need to talk about?" I asked. "Draco's fine. I just needed to get you alone so I could explain and you've been avoiding me for weeks." he said. I groaned. I started to leave and I pushed past him. He grabbed my waist and pulled me back to face him. "Belle, please!" he exclaimed. I froze. His hands gripped my waist and my heart was racing. "That's not my name, remember Theodore?" I said. He sighed and let go. "Come on, you know I didn't want to do that. Tori doesn't like it when I call you that." he said. I shrugged. "I thought we were friends now." he said. I forced a smile and fought back tears. "We are. But Astoria is your girlfriend. That's why you need to stop caring so much about my feelings and you should only care about hers." I said. "I'm not going to only care about-" he started. "You don't owe me anything. Explanations, justifications, nothing. If Astoria doesn't want you to call me Belle, then don't call me Belle." I said. He just nodded. "I'm sorry, Anna. I really am." he said. I nodded. "I have to go." I said quietly. Then I left. A stray tear fell down my cheek as I shut the door. Then I rushed to my next class, barely making it in time.

Later that night, I was sitting on the couch in the ROR while Draco worked on the cabinet. I was looking over his homework and waiting to make sure he ate dinner. "Fuck! Come on!" he yelled as he slammed his hand against the cabinet. I stood up quickly and he whipped around, kicking a stool across the room. "Draco, calm down-" I started. "No! This stupid fucking cabinet! He wants me to fail!" he yelled. I stood there, frozen as Draco destroyed everything in sight. Everything besides the cabinet. Then my feet moved and I found myself wrapping my arms around his body. I pulled him to the ground as he fought me. "Let go! Let me fucking go!" he yelled. "Draco, stop! Please stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" I pleaded. "Good! I hope I fucking do!" he yelled. I fumbled to hold him as I tried to draw my wand but then I grabbed it. "Petrificus Totalus!" I said. His body went stiff and he fit the ground. I sighed in relief as I sat back. "Let me go, Anna. I mean it. Break the spell." he said. "Not until you calm down." I said. "I am fucking calm!" he yelled. "No, you aren't." I mumbled. I sat there for a few minutes as he yelled and screamed, cussing me out. Then the tears flowed down his cheeks. "He's going to kill me. Me and my mum and everyone I care about." he sobbed. I drew my wand and broke the spell. He rolled onto his side and buried his face in his hands. "I don't want to die, Anna. I'm scared." he cried. I pulled him in my arms and rested his body on my legs. I stroked his hair and whispered soothing words until he fell asleep. Then I sat there as silent tears of my own fell to my cheeks. I sat there all night just praying that Dumbledore follows through and protects Draco. He has to. I can't lose Draco too. I just can't.