I Noticed..

Chapter 2: Strange Silence

//Dracos Pov//

Hours passed and Draco had finally finished, his eyes red and puffy with dry tear stains as he laid on the floor. He sat up slowly with a shaky breath before he opened the letter once again. He wasn't ready to see her memories but he was ready to use everything else.

He slipped on the ring which contained a beautiful emerald that sparkled beyond belief, engraved with an 'M' with embroidered snakes holding it. He thought back at how happy she was when she had gotten it, the first gift he'd given her for her birthday. Next, a small vile that contained the last bit of his mother he had, the file has a cover with a chain loop on it and he knew he had to keep it close. He immediately went and searched through his drawers and found a thin gold chain that Blaise had gotten him... He never dared to wear it before but now he decided to put it to use.

He slid the vile onto the necklace and put it on before placing it under his robes, placing his hand over it. He could feel the cold metals hitting his skin. The feeling to cry slowly numbed itself out and it seemed like he had run out of tears or emotion left to Express.

Moments later a much firmer yet gentle knock came to the door and a voice came through. His Head House, Slughorn called to from behind the door. "Draco! You have missed 2 classes today already. You have to go to Potions or else it's detention!" Draco sighed before heading to his bathroom, washing the dry tears from his face and trying to hide his red eyes.
He stared at himself in the mirror before realizing how light he felt. Not a good or happy light but an emotional light. Crying felt..good, he'd always been told it was something wusses do which didn't seems to be wrong, he did feel quite vulnerable at the time but currently that was behind closed doors. No one would know he cried like that. Ever.

He quickly forced himself to return to his hard and soulless look and left the room, walking past his Housekeeper who had been waiting for him and placed a hand on the young teens shoulder, causing a chill down his spine. "Draco..I read the letters and I want to assure you that nothing will hurt you here..and sorry about your mother." His voice caught in his throat at the mention of her but he nodded before rushing off to Potions.

***
//Harry's Pov//

Harry was surrounded by people, thanking and congratulating him on defeating Voldemort but his eyes were trained to a certain blonde who was the true reason why they survived.

He was looking for a time to thank him for lending him his wand and going against Voldemort. He needed to. He watched the whole thing play out, the owl dropping the letters, him opening up the first one, his expression shown in his body language nothing other than fear and nervousness, him opening the second letter and him going rigged and without hesitation, immediately leaving the Great Hall.

Harry wanted to follow him but he decided against it. He didn't know what those letters were about but it couldn't have been good and he probably didn't want to see his face right then.

***

He heard from Parkison and Blaise that Draco had skipped his other two classes which worried Harry even more. He sat in Potions and turned to the empty seat behind him wondering if he'd turn up. He was thinking again about going to look for him when someone entered. The blondes face was slightly red against his pale skin but his face was as still as a rock as he made his way over to his seat, sitting down silently.

Snape began to drone on about which potion they were going to make but Harry couldn't draw his eyes away from him, he looked tired, empty and even a bit frail. But he still needed to talk to him to matter what. Draco was paired with Pansy and Harry was paired with Hermione but he kept glancing at the blonde as Parkison was trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Draco, c'mon I know you don't just leave after getting your letters what happened?" She whispered to him but he said nothing, cutting up bats wing to add to the mixture. "Is it your father? Because if it is you-"
"Shut the fuck up Pansy." He said sternly, causing her to go silent.

He seemed to be stuck staring for a while until Hermione punched him lightly in the arm, "Harry! Pay attention or you'll cut your bloody finger off!" Harry looked down at the absentminded cutting he was doing and he was, in fact, extremely close to cutting his fingers.
"Ah, sorry Herm." He said, smiling nervously.
She stared at him then in the direction the blonde was before looking back to him, "You saw what happened this morning right?"

Of course she noticed.

"Yeah.." "Do you still plan to talk to him?.." she whispered, resting her hands on the table. Harry paused, taking another glace back at him before nodding slowly, "Yes I do.." He said, drawing his eyes back to his cutting.

He listened in to the short and dry conversations between the two friends, mostly Zanbini trying to get him to open up and Draco shutting her down with not many words. He was being way too quiet and everyone seemed to take notice, especially Ron who kept looking over his shoulder for him to sabotage anything but the time never came. The class was uneventful without them at each other's throats but they got through it regardless.

He seemed more scary to Harry now, not speaking or whispering let alone looking at anyone. He was just so out of place from when he was this morning.

For those who might be confused, my story is based off a deleted scene from the movie, where instead Draco throws Harry his wand during the battle and reverts back to the good side. But in this case, to protect students from harassment they wipe all the memories of students who were involved are removed except from a select few. But Draco, who isn't as fortunate is found out to be an ex Deatheater though the paper and is caught off to by other students so while everyone else is off the hook, draco continued to be bullied and harassed by a few students. Yes, he still has his mark. If there are any other questions ask me once this is out.

-Salem