Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 4- Ch. 27

Céline kept walking down the corridor for a few minutes, when she jumped at the sudden door that opened next to her. She held her hand to her chest and when she looked she saw a startled Ron staring at her with wide eyes.

She looked at him awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"Well?" Said Ron. "Aren't you going to come in?" Stepping to the side to give her passage into the compartment. There sat Hermione and Harry looking in her direction with curious faces since they could see who Ron had spoken to.

When they recognized her, their faces turned to surprise and simultaneously jumped up out of their seats. "Céline!" They both called out, making both Céline and Ron jump at the sudden volume.

She waved to them awkwardly with a nervous smile. She then looked at Ron who was still standing there, "oh! Sorry Ron! Were you heading out? I'm in your way" she gasped, quickly stepping into the compartment.

"I... was actually heading out to go find you." He scratched the back of his head. "We've been wanting to since we boarded the train, but these two have been stubborn about it."

"We ... just didn't know if you wanted to see us.." Hermione said looking down, as she fiddled with her book she was holding.

"We all felt terrible about what happened.... It's our fault that you had to go through that." Harry said hesitantly. Unable to look her in the eyes, ashamed.

Céline looked at them baffled. They all had a guilty look on them, when she didn't say anything they looked up at her, she just stood there speechless. She had a couple thoughts going through her head.

"None of you are at fault here." She finally spoke, "please don't look at me like that. There was never a moment this week that I blamed any of you. I made the choice of sneaking away. I made the choice of sticking with you guys when, as much as I hate to admit it, Malfoy was probably right in thinking I should have stayed with him. But they were all choices I made for myself." She finished with finality.

"But your dad—" Ron started.

"My father has never been a kind father like yours unfortunately." She looked at Ron, "I've accepted that a long time ago."

"Did he do anything else to you.." Hermione hesitates to ask, "after you left?"

Céline looked at her curly haired friend. She thought for a moment if she should tell them the truth, but she second guessed it. She thought if she told them or showed them, they would only feel worse about themselves. She shook her head and they all sighed in relief. "I definitely got a stern talking to, though." She said, "And I wasn't allowed to leave my room for a couple of days, but that was it."

"We all thought... Well, nevermind that. We're just glad that you're alright, Céline." Harry said as he sat back down, everyone else followed suit. He patted the empty seat next to him.

She smiled and sat down. They all began talking about how odd Ron's family had been acting. Saying weird thing, but when they questioned them, they wouldn't say. Ron then showed Céline the maroon velvet robes with an off-white old looking frilly lace on the collar and matching lace cuffs.

"Oh, Ron." She said looking at him pitifully, "I'm so sorry."

"Hey! Don't say that Céline!" He groaned, throwing the robe back over his owl. "You have a good sense of fashion, I hope you would've been able to help me out here."

She giggled, "sorry, Ron. I'll see what I can do for you.." she said as she looked back at the robe. She wondered why they all had to pack robes and gowns, biting her bottom lip, "Hmm...Maybe cut it?" She tapped her chin with her finger.