Avoiding Harry was a difficult task, especially since she was still friends with Hermione. Harry had told Ron the truth and Ron was still trying to trust that Draco was a different person now. He just found it hard to believe.
As soon as Madam Pomfrey allowed Greta to enter the hospital wing, Greta visited Draco eagerly. Draco was laying down in a bed when she arrived. His hair was disheveled and he had dark bags under his eyes. He appeared to be spaced out as he stared at the ceiling. Greta scooted a chair closer to him and tapped his shoulder.
"Draco?"
Draco flinched at the sudden touch but smiled tiredly when he saw Greta. "Hey, how're you?"
"I should be the one asking that," Greta chuckled. "You're the one who's in the hospital wing."
"I know, I know. I was just trying to start up a conversation."
They fell silent for a brief moment.
"Are you feeling any better?" Greta wondered.
"Physically yes. Mentally… not really," Draco replied.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Draco slid his head into Greta's lap. "I just want you to stay for a while."
"Ok."
Greta played with Draco's hair, which is what she would do whenever he felt stressed or tired. As Draco silently enjoyed his special treatment, Greta longed to know what he had felt that whole year. She had noticed several behavior changes in him, but she never thought to think about what might've caused it. She felt guilty.
"Princess, are you ok? You're crying."
Greta hadn't realized that she was allowing tears to fall onto Draco's face. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking, that's all."
"About what?"
"I just feel bad that you had to go through all that by yourself. Without someone to tell you that everything was going to be ok, or that it wasn't your fault."
"None of that was your fault. I was being pretty irrational, to be quite honest. I was just scared that I would lose you, so I never told you."
"How long ago did this happen?"
"Over the summer. I feel bad about not replying to your letters. My parents advised me not to speak to any of my friends, so I shut off from everyone."
His hand was now resting on Greta's leg as well out of reassurance. Greta found the gesture cute and even found herself blushing.
"How are you ever going to get out of this mess?"
Draco stirred slightly. "Hm?"
"You've already gotten the Mark. You can't resist to whatever he tells you to do. I'm so scared."
Draco wiped away Greta's tears with his remaining hand. "I'm scared too, and I'm not sure if I'll make it out of this alive. At least I have you. That's all that matters, right?"
Sudden tear drops hit Greta's leg and she looked down to see that Draco had once again broke. She didn't take any pity on him knowing that he was truly suffering inside. Draco was falling apart and Greta was the only person who could keep him together. Greta stroked Draco's hair again, hoping that he'd calm down.
"Why are you so nice to me?" Draco's voice cracked as he spoke. "After all that I've put you through for three and a half years, you still find ways to make me feel like I'm a good person. I'm not a good person at all."
"Draco, don't say that--"
"I'm a terrible person and you know it's true." Draco started to tremble. "All I ever do is hurt others. That's what I did to you. How can you still find good in me after all these years?"
"Because you changed."
Draco still wasn't convinced. Greta continued.
"You were willing to change for the better, Draco. Even now, you're trying to be a better person. You're trying and that's all that matters. What you did in the past was wrong, but I know that, deep down, you really mean it when you say you're sorry. I trust you, Draco, and I'll never leave your side."
Draco wrapped his shaky arms around Greta's waist and he sobbed softly into her stomach.
"I'm so broken, Greta," Draco admitted. "I'm scared, hurting, and I don't know what to do. I don't want to kill Dumbledore. I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want my parents to die. I don't want to die. I'm not ready! I'm not ready for this."
Greta kissed Draco on the forehead softly. "I know, Draco. It's going to be alright."
"But what if it isn't?"
Greta was at a loss for words. The thought that everything would fall apart constantly wracked her mind, and it made her feel just as frightened as Draco did.
More hot tears slipped from her eyes as she replied with, " I'm not sure…"
"Princess, you don't have to cry for me." Draco gave a sad smile as he fought to bite back a sob. He was still crying. "You're making me cry."
"I'm sorry, Blondie." Greta laughed sadly. "I didn't mean for you to cry. I just-- I'm just trying to process everything, that's all."
Draco's broken sobs continued as his trembling grew stronger. He was still in a vunerable state and needed some mending before he could act normally again.
"I wish that we were normal," Draco mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Greta inquired.
"I mean, why can't we just be together without having to stay private? Our houses hate each other and now I've been forced to become a Death Eater. I wish that we could show the world that we're together and nobody would care."
"I wish it were that way too. Everyone here is just obsessed over petty rivalries. The world is so cruel."
"Maybe we could make our own world. A world where nobody would hate us for wanting to love each other. Where everyone else could learn to trust and respect. Wouldn't that be nice?"
"It would. I would love that too."
"Maybe, someday, we can make that world a reality. Then, we can be happy."
"I'm already happy. As long as I have you, that's all I need."
"You're the greatest girlfriend that anyone could ever have."
Greta chuckled. "And you're the best boyfriend ever, Blondie."
Word Count: 1046
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House Rivalry: Draco Malfoy X OC
Fanfiction{ F I N I S H E D } {REWRITE IS OFFICIALLY OUT!} "Why are you being so nice to me?" "I may tease you a lot, but I don't want anyone else to hurt you. I would much rather have you all to myself." Greta has always hated Draco Malfoy since her first ye...
