Can He Save Her? (Draco Malfoy)

96.) Revenge: Laylas POV

I woke up feeling disoriented and uneasy. I looked over at Draco, sleeping soundly beside me, and without hesitation, I slipped out of bed. I needed some fresh air to clear my mind, so I decided to take a walk outside.

I sat down at the bench near the pond, watching the fish swim lazily in the water. I couldn't put a finger on what was bothering me, but I still felt like I needed some space to figure things out. After about an hour, I stood up and made my way back to Draco's room.

Draco was standing by the door, looking worried as he saw me. "Layla, where have you been? I woke up, and you were gone," he said, pulling me into a hug.

"I just needed some air. I didn't mean to worry you," I replied, leaning into his embrace.

"I know, but I was concerned," he said, his arms tightening around me. "Is everything okay?"

I hesitated, not wanting to worry him further. "I don't know. I just... I feel like something isn't right."

He looked at me, concern etched on his face. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I bit my lip, feeling overwhelmed by emotion. "I don't even know where to begin, Draco. I just feel like I'm not myself."

He pulled me back into his arms, his embrace gentle and comforting. "You don't have to figure everything out right now. Just know that I'm here for you. And whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."

I nodded, feeling the weight of my worries slowly lifting. "Thank you."

He kissed my forehead, his voice tender. "I love you. And whatever you're going through, we'll face it together as a team."

As we walked hand in hand towards the Great Hall, a sense of unease washed over me. My mind was preoccupied with thoughts from last night and the encounter with the Gryffindor boy. I couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling, and Draco noticed.

I glanced over at him, and he paused, squeezing my hand gently. "Are you okay?"

I bit my lip, not wanting to burden him with my worries. "I don't know. Just something feels off today."

He stopped walking, his eyes filled with concern. "If something's bothering you, you know you can always talk to me, right?"

I nodded, grateful for his understanding, but before I could reply, he muttered, "Wait here, love. I'll be right back." With that, Draco walked away, leaving me standing near the doorway of the Great Hall.

Confused, I made my way to the table where our friends were already seated. Blaise, Mattheo, Daphne, Pansy, and Lilly turned towards me, their expressions curious.

"Where's Draco?" Pansy asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"He went off to do something. I'm not sure..." I trailed off, feeling a mixture of concern and anticipation.

A few minutes later, Draco returned, and he was dragging the Gryffindor boy that had caused me so much distress the last night. I stared wide-eyed as I realized the Gryffindor had a black eye. Draco led him closer to our table and then stopped, his gaze fixed on the Gryffindor.

"You owe someone an apology," Draco said, his voice firm.

The Gryffindor glared defiantly at Draco, his posture defensive. "I'm not apologizing for saying the truth!"

Draco's eyes flickered with anger, and his tone grew cold. "Either you apologize right now, or things are going to get a lot worse for you."

The Gryffindor hesitated, but eventually, he grumbled out an apology to me. I nodded wordlessly, accepting his begrudging words.

As Gryffindor left, my friends turned to me, their faces filled with concern. "Layla, what was that about?" Daphne asked gently.

I sighed, unsure of how to express myself. "There's something else bothering me too, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's like there's a weight on my chest, a sense of... unease."

Blaise reached out, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. "We're here for you. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."

I felt a flicker of gratitude for the support of my friends, knowing I could rely on them during these uncertain times. Taking a deep breath, I decided to trust in their words and the strength of our bond as we sat together, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

❤️