stars • d.m

4.2

The next hour was lost to time. Estella would never recall how she ended up back in her dormitory. She would later in life come to be told that it was Draco who guided her there, body numb and expressionless face. She would wonder how her legs worked in that situation. "They wouldn't," Draco would tell her.

It was late into the night, the castle was silent with grief and shock. There was hardly any order as everyone had lost the words to say and remembrance of duties they were supposed to perform. That is not to say that the opportunity for students to act out was being taken up, but it explained why Draco was lying next to Estella in her bed. Padma was in her sister's dorm for the night which meant the two were left alone to grieve in private.

When the two arrived, Draco sat her on the bed and worked on taking off her shoes and jacket. He intently watched her face and noted that her lost gaze would not break. That is until her eyelids started to lower. He helped her into bed, making sure the blankets covered all of her. He did not want to leave her alone so he started to clear off the chair next to her bed. With a stack of books and a scarf in his hands, he heard the faintest voice. "Draco," Estella had pushed out with a hoarse voice.

Draco immediately turned to her, "yes?"

Estella stuck her hand out to which he laid his hand in. He followed her light lead as she pulled him to her. He stopped before getting too close.

"Stay with me, please," she let out.

Draco hesitated and wanted to see if she was sure, but instead, he gave in to her request. He carefully climbed over her to her other side. He lay facing her back before she turned around to settle into her pillow with a big sigh. She grabbed his hand with a soft grip, but not too soft as if she did not want to let him go. Draco felt his body become warm as his heart skipped a beat. This is what it was like to hold the universe. What an honor it was to be so close. Under different circumstances, this would be one of the best nights of his life. Instead, he was brought back to the reality of what led them there. How much pain she was in. How this would change her. How she was probably brought back to her father's death. He could not believe she had now lost two important people in her life. He could not fully understand the pain she was going through, but he still knew it was too much to carry that night. So he held her hand slightly tighter with the intent of not letting her go until she did first.

Draco watched tears silently fall, what little she had left, that is. He wiped away each one, wishing he could stop the dam once and for all. Estella's breathing eventually became slow as she fell asleep. Nothing could hurt her now, Draco thought. He determined right there that he would do anything to protect her. Nothing in the universe could stop him from trying.