"You're going back to school." Narcissa had strode into Draco's room just a few days before the term began. I had been sitting in Draco's bed next to him simply enjoying one of my few good mornings.
"I'm not going back to Hogwarts." I said. "That'll be worse than staying here!"
"You will back your trunks and meet me downstairs in ten minutes to go to diagon alley." She says giving me a pointed look that dares me to argue before slamming the door behind her as she leaves. I turn to Draco.
"Don't look at me. I can't change her mind." He says. "Besides you could use a trip to diagon alley." His eyes looked up and down my outfit. I shove him and tell him to 'shut up'. I had officially run out of dresses to wear. Seeing as I only had about three casual ones, I quickly ran out of clothing to wear and the house elves were tired of doing my laundry every two days. Today I was wearing some old spandex I had found in the corner of my closet and one of Draco's shirts. Which was also hard to find considering he only wore suits.
We both really needed to go shopping for clothing.
Grumbling a colorful string of curses, I get up from Draco's bed and head back to my room. I opened my closet and pulled out the I had worn the past two days. I put it back on and brushed my hair, and put it up in a simple so it would be out of my face.
I head downstairs, where Draco and Narcissa are waiting, to my surprise Lucius as well. We apparate away to Diagon Alley. I hadn't even bothered to look at the supply list. Most of it would be rubbish anyways. Dark arts books and poisons most likely. Or perhaps no books and just torture devices for muggles.
Diagon Alley is a ghost of what it was before. Clouds covered the sky leaving it with little light. Shops had broken glass and were closed down. There was no one in the streets. An eerie silence filled the street.
"Get what you need quickly. And only what you need for Hogwarts." She adds at the end.
"I'm not going back to school." I argue once more.
"Don't argue." Lucius says with a threatening tone.
"I'd rather be tortured by her insane sister than sit through Dark Arts class with the Carrows where they teach first years the killing curse."
Slap!
I think all four of us were surprised. He hadn't hit me for years. I had almost forgotten he used to. But I guess a few months in Azkaban had given him his confidence back.
I give him a glare that has him taking a slight step back. "Raise a hand to me again and you will no longer have hands." I grab Draco's hand and pull him away from his parents as I turn my back to them and walk away. He throws a glance over his shoulder before following me.
When we are alone he gently reaches up to my cheek and brushes his thumb across the red mark. "I'm fine." I say harsher than I mean to. His hand falls away. Guilt floods me. Why have I been so mean lately? What was wrong with me?
Fingering the chain of the locket around my neck, I soften my tone as I speak once more. "Why don't you go get the books while I go get new robes." Getting new books was useless. We both knew this. Neither of us planned on actually attending classes.
He doesn't say anything. His grey eyes simply roam my face before placing a quick kiss against my cheek and turning away to walk toward the book shop. I watched him as he left. After he disappears from my sight I continue walking down the path until I reach a shop. The only shop that was fully light and operational.
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
I knew I shouldn't go in but I had to. I told myself it was only because I was checking for Harry Potter and not because I missed the twins. Definitely not because I wanted them to bring my smile back.
