It's OK To Not Be Ok...Right?

58. Deeper Undergraound

"We still need to figure out how to get Ron's wand back," Luna said as they walked around the lake after dinner. Draco knew his cousin would bring this up. He also knew it was way too dangerous to even think about going back -

"I say we all go," Sloane spoke up, turning to face her friends. Ginny smirked and leaned over to close Draco's mouth for him.

"My dearest Sloane. Why would we want to go back down there?" Blaise asked and turned to Ron. "I will bloody buy you a new wand."

Ron shrugged. "Works for me."

"So we leave your wand down there? With the chance that whatever that thing is, it finds your wand and, worse still, knows how to use it?" Sloane shook her head. "This is serious, guys."

"And so is our safety," Blaise pointed out.

"Babe, Blaise is right," Draco said quietly.

Sloane looked around the group. She couldn't believe it. Ron was feeling...indifferent. He didn't care so long as he got a wand. Blaise was terrified. That much was pretty obvious. Luna didn't want to head back down there and put everyone at risk. Ginny was still annoyed at her brother. Draco was stubborn and was feeling very protective of Sloane. He had no intention of letting her head back down there. Which annoyed Sloane even more. Harry and Hermione were the only ones who were seeing sense.

"Guys, Sloane has a point. If that thing, which is dangerous enough on its own, now has a weapon? That's bad." Harry ran his hands through his hair and adjusted his glasses, feeling uncomfortable.

"But you saw that thing. Look what it did to Sloane," Luna pointed out.

"And what do you think it would do to me if it had a wand?" Sloane folded her arms.

"Sloane," Draco said quietly. He should have known she would want to do the right thing. It's a pity she wasn't sorted. She'd have made a bloody good Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.

She raised her eyebrow at him. "Draco," she mocked.

"This is crazy! What you're thinking of doing? It's dangerous!"

"I'm not afraid," Sloane shrugged,  standing a little taller as if trying to prove a point.

"I fucking am!" He pleaded. "I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"Draco, I am fine."

He pulled her away from the others. Out of earshot. "You can't heal yourself." He reminded her. "You said it yourself."

"But I can heal them," Sloane said looking back. "I need to go."

"I'm not going to stand by and watch you put yourself at risk," Draco snapped.

Sloane could feel the stubbornness radiating off him. She let go of his hand. "Then don't."

"What?" Draco gasped.

"You don't want to watch me put myself at risk, then don't come. But I am going. We need to make sure that the wand hasn't been moved and we are safe."

"Why?" Draco pleaded. He didn't understand.

"Because this castle doesn't feel safe!" She snapped. "That thing could still be there. I need to make sure for myself that it has gone. So I can sleep. So I can stop being scared all the time. So I can not walk the halls looking over my shoulder all the time." Draco took a step back. A step away from Sloane. He hadn't noticed. He hadn't realized that she hadn't been sleeping well. That she had been scared. How did he not notice? He felt incredibly guilty. "Draco, that's not what I was getting at. You shouldn't feel -"

"But I do. I can't help it. I just do. I should have noticed. You should have told me." Now he was angry.

"I didn't want to add my drama to you. You have enough going on. It's just anxiety and it's not a big -"