If the War Never Happened (years 3-4)

Chapter Seventy-two-- The Aftermath Drea's POV

"When the heart gets too heavy with pain, people don't cry, they become silent, completley silent."
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The days following felt like an eternity moving through them. I spent most of the days in my dorm, I hadn't spoken a word to anyone.

Harry's parents fought for us to go home right away, however Dumbledore thought it best we stick it out for the last three days. Madam Pomfrey had given me a dreamless sleep potion for each day left at Hogwarts, although I didn't take any.

Draco had tried on multiple occasions to talk to me and comfort me, but it didn't work. My brain felt heavy like a ton of bricks were constantly laying on it, from all I needed to process.

I wasn't fully sure I could trust Draco, and I wasn't ready to speak to him about it. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had all tried to talk to me as well. Everyone had just accepted that I wouldn't be talking until I was ready, they talked around me instead.

Fred and George had even tried to make me laugh by telling me jokes, or threatening pranks on the Slytherins, nothing worked. I felt as if I was stuck in a constant time loop, reliving my worst nightmares.

I saw the way Cedric cheered when he was chosen for the tournament. I thought about how he wouldn't have entered had he known his fate. I thought about how I wish I could go back and grab the cup before Cedric could. I saw the flash of green light shoot out of Lucius' wand as Cedric lay lifeless on the ground, his eyes still open. I saw how Lucius's eyes looked like Draco's. How Draco's eyes once looked at me the same way. The last thing that replayed in this time loop was my father being hit with a curse and his eyes as he fell to the ground.

We hadn't heard from Uncle Moony since he left. We aren't sure where my father is or what happened to him, we aren't even sure if Uncle Moony is okay. Everyone assumed the worst. I felt the world keep moving around me, when all I wanted it to do was stop.

No one believed Harry and I about what happened the night after the tournament. Lucius was well thought about in the ministry, therefore Fudge, just thought Barty to be crazy.

Unfortunately for us, Barty Crouch Jr. Was killed by a dementor that Fudge had let in for the interrogation. The only ones who believed us were our family and Dumbledore.

No one believed Draco either, everyone had assumed he was, and continues to be, on his father's side.

Lucius thought through his every move like a game of chess, and we just had to sit and wait until he made his next move.

*****

The last day, I packed up my luggage as tears fell down my cheeks. I wasn't going home, there wasn't anyone to go home to. Instead I was to go home with Harry.

I sat on my bed holding the framed paw print my father gave me the last Christmas.

I'll be there every step of the way.

I guess you never really know the value of a gift until it's the only thing you have left of them.

I sat there for who knows how long until Harry came and walked with me to the Great Hall for the closing ceremony.

We sat at in the Great Hall before we were dismissed for the year, the hall was decorated in black drapes and banners in memoriam of Cedric.

Everyone stared at us like we were going to break any moment and they wanted to be the ones to see it.

I stared down at the table with my hand holding my head up as Dumbledore told everyone the accounts of that night.
He also talked about Cedric and how kind he was, up until the very end, a true Hufflepuff.

The only words I heard from Dumbledore were, "Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember, what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lucius Malfoy. Remember Cedric Diggory."

It felt like a poor tribute to Cedric, as if Dumbledore used his death to get word out that Lucius was at fault and that a potential war was on our hands. It felt as if Dumbledore was playing chess against Lucius, and we were mere pawns.

As everyone was dismissed for the train, a paper crane floated on the table in front of me.

I opened it and read the note,
We have an hour, Astronomy tower?
-Dray

I looked up from the table and nodded as I slowly stood up and walked over to Draco. Harry tried to pull me away, but I fought against him and continued on.

Draco took my hand in his softly and we walked together to the Astronomy tower. As we walked through the crowd everyone stared and broke out in whispers.

"How could she?"

"She's on his side?"

I didn't look their way as Draco hurriedly pulled me through the crowd and up the stairs.

We sat on the ledge of the tower, our feet dangling over. I looked out at the beautiful water below, if you looked close enough you could see the Giant Squid in the distance breaking the surface.

Draco grabbed my cheek with two fingers and turned me to look at him.

I looked into his silvery blue eyes, they looked at me as if I was broken glass and he needed to be careful not to shatter me further.

"I am going to tell you my side of the story now," He said as he looked at me. His thumb gently rubbed my cheek back and forth.

I nodded as he kissed my forehead, and looked back out onto the lake.

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A/N short chapter for her.. but shes goin through it so there aren't many details.