The Slytherin Heiress

Chapter || 13

Over the weeks my father's plan has taken a steady pace. We set in motion to instate our inside minister as the head minister of magic, forcing the public to turn against Harry Potter by labeling him undesirable number 1 and hanging his wanted poster all over Diagon alley. In merely a few weeks we have oractically taken over the ministry and therefore we will reach the public. As far as I have heard we have begun the interrogations aka we are ridding the ministry of muggleborn witches and wizards.

Draco and I have found Solace in one another on a few occasions over the summer. My father has forced us to torture several of our own death eaters upon their failure to capture Harry Potter and his friends. Each time we hide away in one our rooms or take a stroll through the gardens.

We are eventually sent back to Hogwarts, this time we use the vanishing cabinet rather than the train. During opening ceremonies now conducted by Snape everyone is somber and scared. Half the upoer class men have not returned this year.

"Vera?" Pansy stands with Evelyn and Mira on her tail. "Is, is it alright if we sit with you?"

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" I ask, knowing that they now fear me and probably Draco as well who sits beside me.

"We just thought that. . ." Mira begins before Pansy nudges her. "Nevermind."

The three girls sit across from Draco and I quickly joined by Blaise and Crabbe and Goyle. The air between us all is thick with tension as no one talks. We don't say a word over dinner. We are dismissed from dinner and we head back to the dormitories. Rather than simply set loose we are escorted by our head of house with Draco and I in front leading the girl and boys in tight lines as we are head boy and head girl. When we reach our commons slaps leaves us and I hold everyone back and threaten anyone else who lingers around.

I force everyone to sit, even Draco. I stand with by back to the fire as I stand before them, bands bound infront of me.

"I know you all know what happened." I begin. "Everyone does. I just want to know, regardless of my parentage or Draco's and our families ties to everything going on, are we still friends?"

Everyone looks between one another for a moment before Pansy stands and takes my hand.

"We're with you, to the very end." She says simply. "I have known that since I've known you. We just weren't sure if you still wanted to-"

"Yes." I cut her off. "Of course. I just want things to go back to the way they were, at least here at school. I want to have parties and get drunk and I want you to be my best friend again."

"Thank Merlin." She says, throwing her arms around my shoulders. "Well at least we know why you two were so odd last year. We all thought you were dating." She laughs. "Ridiculous thought."

My eyes flick to find Draco staring up at me through his grown out hair and my vision is blocked by Blaise wrapping Pansy and I in a hug.

"I'm sorry, I-" Mira begins as she stands. "I can't."

Mira walks up towards the dormitories with Evelyn close behind.

"Fuck them anyways." Pansy says noting my grim stare. "They were annoying."

"They were." Blaise agrees. "Now speaking of getting things back to normal. . ."

Blaise pulls a joint iut of his coat pocket and I pluck it from his fingers immediately and he lights it carefully. I roll my eyes back in my head as I throw myself onto the couch beside Draco.

"God I missed this." I sigh before offering it to Draco.

Draco shakes his head and Pansy snatches it up quickly. I give Draco a long glance as he leans back on the sofa, folding his arms over his chest. Pansy and Blaise begin talking amongst themselves as she sits on his lap. While they're distracted I place my hand on Draco's arm and give him a small nudge, he doesn't tear his eyes from the fire.

After a while Pansy and Blaise go upstairs and Draco and I stay down here. The couple is too preoccupied with seeing eachother for the first time all summer to guess anything about Draco and I.

"Draco," I say moving to sit cross legged to face him. "Are you alright?"

"Never been better." He says sarcastically.

"Draco look at me." I say. He doesn't move so I take his chin and force him to look at me. "We're in this together, remember. I can tell something more is bothering you."

"Being back here, it all just feels so cold." He admits. "Every room is a reminder of him, of what I did."

"What we did, Draco." I say. "We did this together and we will get through this together."

His face contorts and tears well in his eyes before he breaks. His face, his limbs, his voice. He breaks. I wrap my arms around his shoulders as he clutches my waist his fists binding themselves in the fabric of my robes, pulling me closer to him. Tears spill down my cheeks as my chest aches for the boy I once knew. He was sassy and charming and witty. This boy is broken and torn and hurting. I hated the buy I knew but I would do anything to get him back if only to see him happy again.

I move my hand to cradle the back of his head against my chest before he pulls me even closer. I now nearly straddle him as he pulls me close. His arms entrap my waist as his sobs slow. Suddenly he pulls away and looks up at me, his eyes red. The dark circles under them have grown but I don't care, mine have too. His blue eyes are as striking as the blue ice up north. I move his hair from his eyes as his hands rest on my hips. Tears coat his cheeks and one hand moves from my hips to my neck.

I lightly gasp as he readjusts himself on the couch, making his face the same height as mine. I watch him carefully as his thumb strikes the line of my jaw.

"Why are you doing this?" He asks softly.

"Because I always wished there was someone to comfort me this way when I needed it." I admit but I fear that wasn't what he meant.

"Malfoys aren't supposed to break." He says.

"You aren't broken, Draco." I say quickly and his eyes flick away before I place my hands on either side of his neck. "Draco Malfoy, you are not broken."

"I see him, falling in my dreams. Hear the crack of Snapes wand." He admits. "The fear, the torment it runs through my mind over and over again. How do you stay so strong?"

"Well," I say sliding from his lap, his hands moving to where I previously sat and mine cradling his as I lean infront of him. "For starters I'm not as strong as you think."

"Well then why can you handle all this and no matter how hard I try I can never seem to controll my emotions."

"I was raised to be heartless, to be cruel. You were raised by your parents who your mother at least seems to love you. The only thing close to love I have ever felt was having Pansy as a best friend."

"That's a low bar." He says and my chest lightens.

"There he is." I say, leaning my head back on the couch and it is his turn to lean in.

"What do you mean?"

"The snarky sarcastic boy that I loathe." I say with a small smile. "I missed him."

He simply stares at me for a long moment, eyes flicking over every part of my face. Tentatively he takes my hands in his and his icy blue eyes stare into mine. An unfamiliar feeling swirls in my abdomen and I recognize it as fear. Then a sharp pain in my temple that fades to a dull throb as Draco's eyes latch onto mine. His brown pinch as he slowly lifts his hand to tuck a stray hair behind my ear, then we hear footsteps clamoring down the stairs.

Draco rips his hands from my skin as Blaise waddles down the stairs, sweaty and breathless. He smiles giddily as he runs a hand through his hair before he sees Draco and I still on the couch.

"Thank Merlin you didn't come upstairs Vera." He chuckles slowly, obviously still high. "Woo. She's asleep now if you wanna."

I nod and stand as Blaise takes my place on the couch beside Draco. I stop as I move to climb the stairs. I place my hand on the rail before turning.

"Goodnight." I say.

"Goodnight." Draco says softly, watching me carefully.

"Night Vee." Blaise chuckles as he turns to Draco.

I make my way up the stairs, their conversation distorted by the stones.