The Lestrange behind it all {M.R.}

𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚘𝚗𝚎

𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚣𝚘 𝙱𝚎𝚛𝚔𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚎

1998 - seventh year

Lee wasn't herself anymore, and we all knew it. She tried to cover her red eyes with makeup and her unwashed hair with beanies. It's been a month back at Hogwarts, and she's been a mess. Sleeping in, missing tests, missing meals. I hated seeing her like that.

But what could I tell her? Malfoy and just both knew it was best to keep ourselves away from that situation. We'd leave the comforting to Pansy and Astoria. Cael would help where he could, even though he knew less than most of us.

"I don't know," I said as I stepped into my dorm, where Malfoy sat on his bed. Our dorms were merged. "How long will we have to do this?" I asked him.

His gaze shot into a 'are you kidding me' look. "What do you mean?"

I scoffed. "Lying. I can't continue lying!"

"You aren't," he said, standing up. "Enzo, you're not telling her-"

"She deserves to know!" I defended. "Merlin, Malfoy. You'd want to know-"

"Because I wouldn't know the reason. Enzo, we're not telling her!" he yelled.

I scoffed, shaking my head. "Great friend you are," I bit. "Belle has been nothing but nice to you. Now you're shutting her out?"

He frowned. "Whay do you mean that?"

I rolled my eyes. "We all know you're shutting her out, Malfoy. When was the last time you two spoke?"

He knew what I meant. He hasn't spoken to her in days, and I knew exactly why. He didn't want to live with the realization of him being a liar to who was once his best friend.

"I'll only hurt her more," he told me. "We were both aware of the risk we were taking at that abandoned fucking house. Lee cannot know that Mattheo is alive, Enzo. She'll be crushed."

"What?"

Both our eyes shot up to Cael Ankerst as he stood in the doorway. Immediately Malfoy rushed forward, shoving the door shut behind him.

"Great going," Malfoy muttered at me. "Fuck!" he yelled, kicking a stool over.

"He's alive?" Cael asked in disbelief. "You're not going to tell her? You're lying to her?!" he started yelling. "What the fuck? That's fucking off, man. You're her fucking best friends!"

"Keep it down!" Malfoy growled. "Look, yes, we're liars. We're assholes. We're Dickson. But you can under no circumstances tell her!"

"Why the fuck not?" he scoffed.

"He made us do an unbreakable promise. We have no choice."

I saw the realization hit Cael. "You're stupid."

I sighed. "We know, Cael. I want to tell her, trust me-"

"But not one of us will," Malfoy warned Cael. "Or you'll be my death. Until he tells her, we're as quiet as a mouse can be. Got it?"

Cael looked at, but I just avoided eye contact. Then he looked at Malfoy, and nodded.

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𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚘 𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚏𝚘𝚢

1998 - 𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛

"We're going to a party tonight," Pansy said as she dropped down onto the couch across us. "You're not stopping us."

"Wasn't planning on it," he groaned, adjusting in my seat so that Astoria could sit down beside me. I placed my arm over her shoulders.

"I'm going too," she told me, and that made me frown. "So are you."

"I'm being forced into a party," I complained. "What could be more fun?"

"Stop complaining," Lee said as she dropped down beside Cael.

"Whatever," I bit, and she looked at me frowning.

"Bit grumpy, Malfoy?"

"Leave me be," I bit back.

She frowned, and so did Pansy. "What's your problem?" she asked.

I didn't want to be rude, but if I wasn't, I'd feel quilty. She had to hate me. It'd only be easier.

"Don't you think you should rather not go out and waste your life?" I suggested, harshly.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"You're only drinking to overcome their dea-"

"Hey!" Astoria groaned beside me, hitting my arm. "No!"

"The fuck?" Lee scoffed in anger. "Just because Alex and Mattheo are dead, doesn't mean I don't get to fucking be the same as I was. I always use to drink," I explained. "Why are you so attacking?"

"I'm not," I denied. "I'm fucking honest."

"You're fucking rude," Pansy jumped in her defense. "We're going out. You can fucking stay if you want. Work off that attitude."

"Maybe I'm just tired of your bullshit," I bit.

Astoria scoffed. "Draco, that's not nice. You're being rude."

"So fucking what?" I frowned, locked in my defensive mode. "I'm giving my opinion. She's going to throw her life away, because she can't move on-"

"I'm moving on," she interrupted.

I scoffed. "By doing what? Fucking around?"

"Draco," Astoria begged me. "Stop it."

I didn't listen to her. The heat of the moment caught onto me as I continued.

"Lee, you're not moving on. You're fucking guys left and right, but that won't help you get over Mattheo or Alex, or the fact that Theodore still lives-"

"Okay, quit it," Enzo bit, standing up. "You're going over lines now, Malfoy."

"Stay out of this," I told him. Then I looked back at Lee. "You should seek some help."

Then the tears that formed in her eyes dropped down and rolled over her skin. I went quiet, but made sure she couldn't see the pain in my eyes of seeing her cry.

"Fuck you!" she yelled, before standing up, and rushing out of the common room.

Beside me, Astoria scoffed. "Unbelievable," she muttered, before she and a disappointment Pansy followed after her.

Enzo and Cael glared down at me.

"Satisfied?" Enzo asked, making me sigh.

"Whatever," I mumbled standing up, but Cael stepped in my way.

"You're pathetic," he spat, before he shoved mt shoulder, trying to pass.

Anger got the best of me. I turned around, grabbed his collar, and threw the first punch.

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