BANALITY : Draco Malfoy

29

We are in an alley that I've never seen before. I'm doubled over as I choke. That trip was far worse than the last. It's much colder here than it was in Inverness, so breathing is a bit more difficult too. I can feel my stomach lurch. My mouth opens as I spew vomit on the ground. My head is woozy, I'm tilting. I'm freezing; it's snowing. Draco pulls me up. With his hands holding me up by the arms, he stares at me.

"Do not look around while we walk," he says, staring directly into my eyes. "You need to act like you've been here before. Wizards do not take kindly to muggles."

"What?" I ask, panting still.

He sighs, "people without magic, like you. Do not take this lightly. It is the most serious crime of all our laws to reveal magic to a muggle. This will get me the dementor's kiss if I'm not already going to get it."

I do not know what that means, but I am certain that it is not pleasant.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Somewhere unsavoury, but we're going to get help," he explains.

All I can do is nod my head. Honestly, I have no clue how we will be safe at all.

He digs into his trunk and pulls out two long black cloaks. While I am still bent over, he throws one of them around me, and then the other around himself, "wizards don't usually wear muggle clothes. You're lucky I even kept a spare."

He waits for me to catch my breath, and then leads me to where we need to go. I keep my arm wrapped around his tightly, squeezing as we walk. The streets are mostly empty, though they are narrow. Draco navigates us, ducking down different streets whenever he sees someone coming. I hope it looks natural. My throat feels like it's closing in on itself.

Eventually, we stop outside a particularly ugly building, which almost lops to one side like it is going to fall. Draco grabs the door handle and pulls both of us inside. I walk in, looking around the room. We are in a bar. I step forward, my boots trailing through the dirt on the floor. It is incredibly dim in here. The windows are so grimy that I can only see shadows moving outside them.

"We need a room," Draco walks up to the man at the bar, who has a long white inn.

He scoffs, "I didn't imagine I'd see you again, Malfoy."

Draco pulls out a velvet bag from the side pocket of the trunk. He dumps the bag upside-down, and more than two dozen coins tumble out, clanging on the bar. Only once the bag is empty does he speak, "would you pass me a room key, Aberforth?"

"Your lot aren't welcome here," the man, Aberforth, says.

"Well, everyone's favourite hero will be here hopefully before midnight," Draco points out. "If he's not here by then, you are welcome to send an owl to the minister himself. I will go willingly."

Aberforth looks between Draco and me. He cocks an eyebrow. He snaps his wand and a key flies into his hand. He passes it to Draco.

"One floor up, second door on the right," Aberforth says.

Draco turns, coming over to me and then leading both of us up the stairs.

I follow after him, my knees still shaking. We go up the stairs and then into the bedroom.

The door shuts. This place is entirely disgusting. Draco pulls out his wand and mutters several words on the bed, until the layer of dust atop it is gone. Then, he sits down.