𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | l. lovegood

xxviii

"𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄." 𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐃. "I get possessed one time, and now whenever something bad happens, I'm always the first one to get blamed."

"It didn't help that you were there when it happened, that's for sure."

"Ronald, that's not gonna make her feel better at all!"

Hermione hit Ron on the back of the head with a newspaper. Dorothea stifled a laugh and exchanged a look with Luna, who was giggling behind her hand.

They were in the library getting a bit of studying in before Slughorn's dinner party. Hermione had noticed that Dorothea was being quieter than usual, so she asked what was wrong. She told them that several people were convinced that she was the one behind the attack on Katie Bell. Someone even approached her and said that she was embracing her inner Sirius Black, meaning that they believed the same thing as Dylan Rodgers – that she was destined to grow up and be a murderer.

"You can't let it get to you, Thea." Hermione began packing her things away in her bag, signaling that it was time to go. "People always feel the need to point fingers at someone. I mean, they were convinced that Harry was the one behind the attacks on..." She trailed off when Dorothea looked down, her cheeks burning red. She sighed and sat down next to her, placing a gentle hand on her knee. "Look, my point is, you know who you are. And we do, too. Everyone else can bugger off because if they actually knew you, they'd know that you are a kind girl who isn't capable of hurting anyone."

"Unless it's necessary," Dorothea added, shrugging.

"You're a bit scary sometimes, you know," Ron said as they left the library. "But Hermione's right. We know the truth, and that's all that matters."

"Have fun at the Slug Club." Luna waved goodbye to Dorothea and Hermione. She skipped off down the corridor. Dorothea watched as her blonde hair disappeared around the corner before following Hermione to Slughorn's office for dinner.

Slughorn's dinner party was rather awkward; at least it was for Dorothea. She could feel the eyes of the other invited students on her. She kept her gaze low and only spoke a few words when she was addressed by Professor Slughorn.

By the time they got to dessert, Dorothea's knee began to bounce. She was ready to leave, but she couldn't do so without seeming rude.

"So tell me, Cormac, do you see anything of your Uncle Tiberius these days?" Slughorn asked Cormac McLaggen, a 7th year Gryffindor.

"Yes, sir," McLaggen replied. "In fact, I'm meant to go hunting with him and the Minister of Magic over the holidays."

"Oh, well, be sure to give them both my best. And what about your uncle, Belby? For those of you who don't know, Marcus's uncle invented the Wolfsbane Potion."

"Oh, I know what that is!" Dorothea suddenly spoke up, gasping. She'd helped make it a few times for Remus Lupin over the summer, with the help of the adults, that is. Her face flushed when everyone looked at her. She shrunk back in her chair and continued to quietly eat her dessert.

"Is he working on anything new?" Slughorn asked Belby.

"Don't know," the Ravenclaw boy replied through a mouthful of his dessert. "Him and Dad don't get on. Probably because me dad says potions are rubbish. His only potion worth having is a stiff one at the end of the day."

"And what about you, Miss Granger? What exactly does your family do in the Muggle world?"

The air at the table became thick. Hermione was the only Muggle-born student to make it into the Slug Club.

"My parents are dentists," she said. The other students at the table exchanged looks. "They tend to people's teeth," she clarified.

"Dad took me to one once," Dorothea whispered, looking up at Hermione. "I-I didn't like it. They hurt my teeth with this...scrapper thing."

"Fascinating." Slughorn gasped. "And is that considered a dangerous profession?"

"No." Hermione shook her head. "Although...One boy, Robbie Fenwick, did bite my father once. He needed ten stitches." She chuckled uncomfortably.

The door opened, and Ginny walked in.

"Ah! Miss Weasley!" Slughorn smiled at her. "Come in, come in."

"Look at her eyes," Hermione whispered to Harry. Dorothea glanced over at Ginny as she sat down at the empty place at the table. "They've been fighting again. Her and Dean."

"Sorry," Ginny apologized. "I'm not usually late."

"No matter," Slughorn reassured her. "Just in time for dessert. That is, if Belby's left you any." He chuckled like he had just told the most hilarious joke in the world.

»--✩--«

Dorothea crept quietly down the corridor as she followed Draco. He went up the stairs to the astronomy tower, and she remembered something she'd overheard Pansy asking Blaise a few months ago: "You don't think Draco would actually throw himself off the astronomy tower, do you?"

Dorothea ran up the stairs after him. He was standing by the railing staring down at the snow-covered grounds. Gryffindor tower was lit up; they were celebrating their victory at the Quidditch match earlier in the day. She slowly walked up to him, clearing her throat quietly to announce her presence.

Draco exhaled slowly. "Hey, Thea."

"Don't do it," she said softly.

"Don't do what?"

"Jump."

Draco scoffed. He jumped up in the air, his feet landing back on the floor of the tower. He turned to look at Dorothea with a weak smirk.

Dorothea stared blankly at him. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"I'd never jump off this tower," Draco said. "I'd miss me too much. That's the coward's way to go out, anyway."

Dorothea's stomach twisted. She laid her arms on the railing and rested her forehead on top. She didn't know how to explain to Draco that it wasn't a cowardly thing to do, but a last resort for people who feel like they don't have any other way out.

She'd felt like that multiple times over the last several months. She didn't understand why it was Sirius who had died and not her. More people needed him – like Harry – than they needed her. She would often lay awake at night wishing that something would take her away so she could join him; she didn't see the point in living when someone she had looked up to so much was gone.

She'd managed to get through it. It wasn't easy, but she kept thinking about how much it would break her older sister if she left. How she'd never get to go on outings to Muggle shops with her dad again. How her mum would be so overcome by grief that she might not ever recover.

"Don't you think it's odd?" Dorothea asked quietly, lifting her head and staring out at the frozen grounds. "Everyone and their mother is blaming me for what happened to Katie...but you're the one sneaking around the castle every night?"

"What exactly are you implying, Dorothea?" Draco asked, irritated. "I've already told you before. What I'm doing is none of your business. If you know what's good for you, you'll bugger off before I throw you off this tower!" He shoved her for emphasis. Dorothea lost her balance and fell backwards onto the floor.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Draco's eyes widened when he realized what he had done. Before he could apologize, Dorothea had run out.