If the War Never Happened (years 3-4)

Chapter Forty-four The Aftermath

"We are shooting stars, broken but beautiful."
-Amber Anwar
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*Dracos POV**

The choosing ceremony had just ended. To which I honestly didn't pay much attention to since I was going to go to the Astronomy tower with Drea later.

However as I was waiting for Dumbledore to close the feast, two more names shot out of the goblet. Everyone had instantly gone quiet, the room was filled with hesitant glares at one another.

"What the hell?" Nott had whispered as he looked up at the two pieces of parchment the headmaster had now held.

I had a bad feeling about this and a knot had formed in my stomach as Dumbledore read the names aloud.

"Harry Potter," he mumbled at first and then said it again louder as gasps now filled the room. The next name, could have been any other name but hers.

Bloody hell it could have been mine and I wouldn't have cared, but it wasn't.

"Drea Black," Dumbledore had bellowed and I looked over at Granger who had pushed Drea out of her seat and towards the door.

I closed my fist tightly to suppress my anxiety as I watched her. She shakily took each step towards the door, and my thoughts began to run about who put her name in, why they did it, or even if Black had done it herself. Surely the latter wasn't possible as she seemed terrified out of her wits...or she put on a good show. It took everything I had to not run to her and grab her and take her away.

When she reached the door she had finally glanced my way. I couldn't even force a hopeful smile at her, I just stared at her and silently hoped she somehow would get out of this. After what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore had closed the feast and rushed through the doors to get to the champions, a herd of teachers and the other headmasters behind him.

As soon as we were dismissed, I ran as fast as I could to the dungeons to change out of my robes and get to the Astronomy tower. Nott, however, had other plans in mind as he cornered me in the Slytherin common room.

"Did you know she was going to do it?" He yelled as he pinned me up against the wall, with his wand to my neck.

"Whoa, Nott, calm down mate," I shakily said as he shoved me up harder against the cold wall.

"Answer the question, Malfoy!" He seethed.

"No. No, Nott, I didn't know," I let out and he stared at me for a bit before he finally let me out of his grasp.

"Who the hell did this?" He said as he ran his hands through his hair and angrily plopped down on the couch.

"I don't know mate.... But it isn't good.." I answered him and as I was about to tell him I was going to go meet her at the tower he had cut me off and said

"I swear to Merlin I am going to find whoever did this to her and kill them," and he stormed off to his dorm.

I hurried behind him and quickly changed from my robes into my pajamas and grabbed a blanket. I ran as fast as I could to the Astronomy tower, trying to dodge anyone who might stop me.

When I had finally made my way to the tower, I walked up to find she was already there. I stood there for a second looking at her trying to decide what to say. She was standing across from me, looking out at the ground.

She still had on her uniform, but her robe was tossed to the side against the wall and her hair was blowing in the wind. I took a deep breath and made my way over to her and when I got closer I realized she was sobbing.

I hurried to her side and wrapped the blanket around both of us as I brought her closer to me.

"It's alright darling, come here," I whispered and held her as she turned into me and sobbed into my chest.

"I didn't think you'd come," she managed to get out through sobs.

"Shh, of course I'd come. " I reassured her as I rubbed my hand over her back.

"I didn't-" she managed to start but I cut her off,

"shhh you don't have to explain right now." I held her for a awhile as she sobbed into my chest.

Finally she had seemed to calm down a little, "it wasn't me, Draco... I don't know who did it," she whispered and pulled away from me a little bit.

My arms were still around her as I looked down at her red, puffy eyes.

"We don't have to figure it out tonight. But we will," I said and pulled her close to me again and kissed the top of her head.

"No one's going to believe me," she looked up at me and tears formed in her eyes again.

"I believe you, Potter believes you, I'm sure your father will believe you. it's going to be okay, Drea."

"But how am I going to survive any of the tasks? I'm only a fourth year... I don't know how-" and she cut herself off as she started to sob again and she pulled herself into my chest.

I held her tightly for a minute, and then I grabbed her face so she'd look at me.

"Listen, your father, your uncles, your aunts for crying out loud- defeated the darkest wizard to ever exist. It's bullshit if you think you aren't going to make it through a silly tournament. You are Drea Effing Black. You have got this."

I tried my hardest to sound convincing and forced a hopeful smile on my face. She smiled a weak smile back at me. I took my hands that were still holding her cheeks and I wiped away the tears that were still falling.

"You really have gone soft, Malfoy," she smirked and I laughed and said "only for you, Black," and kissed her forehead.

We turned back around to face the stars, my arm still around her. We scanned the horizon and as if the sky itself knew she needed it, a shooting star flew across the sky. She turned to me and smiled as she whispered, "I wish Harry and I would survive the tournament." We stood there for awhile, her head resting on my shoulder and I couldn't help but notice the bad feeling that was still in the pit of my stomach. It was as if I knew what trouble might lurk ahead.

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A/N soft Draco. We love him.