If the War Never Happened (years 3-4)

Chapter Fifty-three

"I won't let pain, turn my heart into something ugly."

- Christy Anne Martine
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I made my way as quick as I could to the familiar rock and sat down with my back against it. Immediately I began reading the newspaper article:

Forbidden Love
Drea Black, Triwizard Champion, and Draco Malfoy, Star-crossed lovers share a hidden moment before Black faced a dragon in the first task of the tournament. Black wept as she wasn't sure if this would be the last time she would see Malfoy as he wiped her tears away. An anonymous source had said that they have to hide their feelings in fear of past tensions between families preventing them to be together. Could these have been the source of the tears he was wiping away?
Turn to page 3 for more information on the tournament.

I slammed the paper down on the grass next to me and sighed, as I noticed a figure next to me.

"Forbidden love, I guess she really hit the nail on the head with that one," Malfoy said as he sat next to me.

"How'd you know I was here?" I asked as I looked at him. "I saw you take a left instead of a right out of the Great Hall," he smirked. I nodded as I handed him the paper for him to read.

It took him a moment and then he said "how the hell did she know we couldn't be together?"

I shrugged and laid my head back on the rock in defeat.

"What's gonna happen when your father sees this?" I mumbled as I stared out at the lake.

"Nothing to you," he said and when I didn't respond he took his hand and placed his fingers under my chin to turn my head to look at him.

He repeated again, this time more sternly, "nothing to you." I looked at him for a moment as his thumb gently ran back and forth on my cheek, letting my head rest in his hand.

We stayed at the lake for a few moments, my head on his shoulder as we watched the giant squid peak up from the lake. We may have even stayed there longer had a voice not interrupted us by clearing his throat.

Draco and I shot up out of our daze and looked at the figure who was dressed in all black.

"Mister Malfoy, professor Dumbledore wanted me to tell you your father is here and is requesting you immediately go to the headmasters office," Snape said in his usual low growled voice.

Draco glanced at me quickly and said "nothing."

Snape cut us off and seethed "immediately."

Without another word they left as I sat against the rock, not daring to move knowing that the man who probably wants me dead is in the castle above me.

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**Dracos POV** trigger warning abuse mentioned.

The walk to professor Dumbledore's office was long and awkward as professor Snape walked with me there. My heart was racing and I knew whatever was coming was not good, my only hope was Dumbledore.

Eventually we made it to the doorway and Snape said the password as the gargoyle statue moved and we walked to the spiraling staircase. The next set of doors opened and I took a deep breath and walked in as Snape followed.

"Hello, Draco," professor Dumbledore started with, as he conjured a black leather chair and ushered for me to sit.

I stayed focused on Dumbledore as my father glared at me. As I sat down my father struck his cane on my shoulder, the snake fangs bearing into my skin.

"Now Draco, you're going to be following me home tonight. Dumbledores given permission, you will return on Monday," my father said.

I gulped and looked at Dumbledore with pleading eyes, but he just sat there.

"Yes, father," I said as I stood up and we both made our way to the fireplace in Dumbledore's office.

We took the Floo Network back to Malfoy Manor

and I instantly was pushed into my fathers study. My mother was standing next to one of his many bookshelves as he slammed his cane on the table and yelled, "A Black? A Bloody Black?"

I stood there quietly as he pushed the newspaper across his desk at me. I stared at the picture of Drea and I on the front page watching her fiddle with her necklace, as my mother tried to calm father down.

"Stop trying to get me to calm down, Narcissa," he yelled.

I looked up right as father reached forward and pushed me against the wall. I knew better than to say anything, or to fight back yet, as I let him drill his words into me.

"She's a traitor, Draco."

"She sent your whole family to prison."

"You bloody well stay away from her."

Once he said the last sentence, I looked at my mother and I could tell she was holding back tears. She nodded as if she knew exactly what I was thinking:

Bloody hell Ill stay away from her.

My father grabbed my face and forced me to look in his eyes

"Look at me!"

I peered into my fathers eyes. They were exactly the color of mine.

"You will stay away from her," he seethed.

He shoved my face back and dismissed me.

Immediately after leaving the study my mother grabbed me and pulled me into a hug.

"I knew that Parkinson girl wasn't who those skates were for," she managed to smile, just slightly.

I didn't answer her, I just looked at her and gave her a weak smile back.

She looked at me one more time before turning to the kitchens to tell the elves to prepare supper.

I went upstairs and laid on my green silk sheets and stared up at the ceiling as I waited for my mum to call me for dinner.

That could've gone worse, I thought.