Magnetized Draco Malfoy

Chapter 25: Let me in

Authors note: First of all I just wanna say thank you so much for almost 300 reads! Plus thank you guys for all the comments and votes, I love reading your comments so make sure to keep commenting. It really makes my day.

And secondly, this is very important so listen up! I wanted to bring to your guys attention that I have changed Hailey's last name to Groves. I just don't want anyone in the future to get confused by this matter. Her previous name was just temporary, but this is going to be her permanent last name. Hope you guys understand. Anyway, sorry for the long introduction. Hope you guys love this chapter. It was lots of fun to make;)

-Love Lizzy

Hailey's heart raced as she lay in her bed, the moonlight filtering through the curtains casting shadows on the walls. The memory of Draco's lips on hers lingered.

She traced her fingertips over her lips, reliving the sensation. Draco's touch had ignited something within her, a fire that burned hotter than any spell.

The next morning, Hailey decided to give Draco space. She didn't want to push him away by being too forward.

So, she waited. She attended classes, exchanged pleasantries with her friends, but her thoughts always circled back to Draco. She wondered if he felt the same way, if he was as affected by that kiss as she was.

Then, in the afternoon, as Hailey made her way to the great hall for lunch, Draco appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed her arm, pulling her into a nearby corridor. His grip was firm, urgent. Hailey's heart pounded; she had no idea what was coming.

"What the hell was that for?" Hailey blurted out, her surprise turning into annoyance. She hadn't expected Draco to be so forceful.

Draco's silver eyes bore into hers, and for a moment, he seemed lost. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and strained.

As he said this, Hailey knew something was wrong, just based off his expression. "What, what is it?" Hailey pressed, her heart racing.

Draco took a deep breath. "Meet me at the astronomy tower tonight after dinner. Please. There's something important I need to tell you."
His urgency sent shivers down her spine. "Of course," Hailey replied, her mind racing with possibilities.

Before she could say anything else, he released her and disappeared down the corridor. Hailey leaned against the cold stone wall, her pulse echoing in her ears.

____________

The astronomy tower stood. Hailey's breath caught as she climbed the winding staircase, her heart echoing the rhythm of her footsteps.

Draco awaited her at the top, a shadow against the star-studded sky. His eyes, once filled with mischief, now held a darkness she couldn't fathom.

"Hi, Hailey," he said, his voice a fragile thread. The exhaustion etched into his features tugged at her heart.

"Hey," she replied, her voice equally cautious. "How are you feeling?"

"There've been better days," Draco admitted, his gaze distant. "Much better..."

Hailey studied him. His disheveled hair, the lines of worry etching his forehead—it was as if he carried the weight of the world. She stepped closer, concern gnawing at her. "Draco, what's wrong?"

He turned away, his back to her. "I can't do this," he whispered, and she heard the tremor in his voice. "Not like this."

"What do you mean?" Hailey pressed, her own anxiety rising. "Tell me."

He hesitated, then faced her. His eyes—once silver pools of mystery—now held vulnerability. "I've been pretending," he confessed. "Pretending to be someone I'm not. But it's tearing me apart."

Hailey's heart clenched. "Draco, you can tell me anything."

He shook his head, a tear slipping down his cheek. "I can't. Not yet." His fingers brushed hers, and she felt the tremor in his touch. "But I need you to know that I care about you, Hailey. More than I should."

He looked torn, his inner struggle playing out before her. "I've done things," he whispered. "Things that haunt me. And I fear that if you knew, you'd run."

Hailey's heart swirled with emotions. "Try me," she said.

He hesitated, then crumbled. His head rested on her shoulder, and he wept—the sobs wracking his body. Hailey held him, her own tears mingling with his. She had expected anger, betrayal, but this raw vulnerability shattered her.

Hailey's heart raced as she held Draco, his trembling form pressed against hers. His vulnerability was a mirror reflecting her own fractured soul. She had never seen anyone so broken—except herself.

Draco's tears soaked her shoulder, and her fingers tracing the contours of his spine. "Draco," she murmured, "you need to tell me what's wrong. I won't run. I'm here, right now, in this moment."

His breath hitched. "Hailey," he began, "I care about you. But because of this, more than anything, I want to save you from myself."

She shook her head, determination flaring. "If you care about me, then let me into that mind of yours. Let me help you."

"You'd lose your mind trying to understand me," Draco replied, his voice ragged.

"No," Hailey insisted. "Just tell me."

"Then perhaps I should show you" Draco said. He stepped back, pulling up his sleeve. The Death Eater mark etched into his skin—a twisted brand of darkness. Hailey's disbelief warred with compassion. She had heard rumors, but seeing it firsthand shattered any illusions.

Hailey didn't know how to feel all she could say is  "Why, Draco?" Her voice cracked. "Why do you have this?"

His eyes held pain. "I didn't want it. It was forced upon me. My family—issues, complications. They're using me to clean up their mess. That's why I've been missing meals, and classes.
Voldemort has been ordering me around like a bloody House elf to do his dirty work!"

"Are you sure?" she pressed. "Sure this is forced?"

"Of course it was," he snapped. "What do you think? This isn't an excuse; it's my reality. My life isn't about living anymore—it's about surviving."

Hailey's gaze lingered on the mark, but then she looked up at him. "Really?"

"Yes," Draco said, shaking his head. "I know I'm not an easy person to want. I'm sorry for that."

She took his hand, her touch grounding. "Who said I wanted easy? Liam was easy, but he didn't understand me. I crave goddamn difficult, just like me."

Draco's eyes widened. "Hailey, I can't let you get caught up in my darkness."

Hailey step forward reaching for his face. "But what if I choose darkness?" she challenged. "What if I stay?"

He hesitated, torn. "I don't expect you to stay. But I'm praying that you do. Because God, I need you more than you think."

Hailey's resolve solidified. "Draco, I'll stay. I care about you, and you deserve someone to help you."

And so, in the shadowed embrace of the astronomy tower, they forged an unspoken pact—a fragile alliance between light and dark. Hailey wondered if she could save them both. But little did Hailey know what she was getting herself into.