𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | l. lovegood

xxxii

𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃. After a few weeks of quiet, Draco and Harry had a wand fight in the bathroom. Harry had used a spell that he didn't know was dark magic and almost got Draco killed. If Snape hadn't heard all the comotion and gone to check it out, he probably would've died.

Dorothea walked down the corridor towards the hospital wing. Pansy was sitting by Draco's bedside holding his hand. When she spotted the Hufflepuff girl, she didn't give her a snarky remark like she normally would.

"He's gonna be okay," Pansy said quietly as Dorothea came up to the bed. "Snape stopped the bleeding. He's weak right now, and Madam Pomfrey has him on bed rest, but...he's gonna be okay." She watched curiously as Dorothea put a flower and a handmade card on the nightstand. "Can I ask you something?"

Dorothea pulled up a chair and sat down, nodding.

"Why are you so nice when he's been so mean to you?"

Dorothea sighed softly. She looked at the sleeping Draco. Hermione was right; he did look ill. He had dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, and it looked like he'd lost weight.

"My mum told me when I was younger that hurt people hurt people," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced up at Pansy, who's brows furrowed. "He takes his frustration out on others. You know how he was raised. I'm sure you know how his father can be. He just needs someone to show him a bit of kindness."

"Salazar, you are such a Hufflepuff," Pansy mumbled, shaking her head.

"Thank you."

Pansy's brows scrunched even more. "You're a strange kid, you know that?"

Dorothea shrugged. "So I've been told. But I'd rather be strange than ordinary. Normal. Just like everyone else...That's boring."

"Hm." Pansy stared at her for a moment. She wasn't the same pathetic Dorothea Tonks she'd met 2nd year that followed her and Draco around like an annoying younger sibling. "Hey, mutt?"

"Yeah?"

"...How did you lift Draco up last year?"

Dorothea grinned knowingly. "Telekinesis. I'm able to move things with my mind. And people, when it's necessary."

"That's...actually kinda cool. Really cool. Like a superpower."

"Exactly like a superpower."

»--✩--«

Dorothea was awoken that night by a violent shake on her shoulder. She groaned and buried her face in her pillow, curling into herself.

"Dorothea, wake up!" someone whispered harshly in her ear. "We need to get you out of here!"

Her eyes shot open at the urgency in Tonks's voice. "What's going on?" she asked sleepily, yawning as she sat up.

"There are Death Eaters in the castle," Tonks said quietly so as not to wake the teenager's sleeping roommates. She tossed Dorothea's belongings into her trunk as the girl put on her shoes.

"Come on, Porky," Dorothea whispered, picking up the half-awake Porcus. Still dressed in her pajamas – flannel pants and a baggy t-shirt – she followed her older sister out of the Common Room. "How did you get in without the password?"

"Morphed into Professor Sprout," Tonks said, pushing Dorothea forward and urging her to move faster.

"Why do I—"

"You know Mum will want home where it's safe. Once parents hear about this, they'll be wanting their kids out."

They walked up the stairs into the main corridor. There was a loud sound of glass shattering in the Great Hall. Dorothea spotted Draco being ushered out of the castle by Snape.