Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 4- Ch. 49

Just before heading down the stairs to the dungeons, Céline stopped in front of the girls bathroom.

"Are you alright, Cél?" Harry asked her, she looked a little sickly. She shook her head at him, as she held a hand to her mouth.

"Hold on, I think I'm going to be sick." She choked out. She pushed through the doors and ran straight to one of the stalls. She barely made it to the toilet as she heaved out contents from her stomach.

After a moment, Céline stood up, breathing heavily, and walked towards the sink to she cleaned up herself up. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was pale, her eyes glistening with tears that threatened to spill.

She thought she would be fine, they arrived at Hogwarts a little over a week ago now, and other than the first night they had arrived, Céline hadn't had any other encounters.

She thought she could do it, she thought she had possibly overcome the trauma that plagued her dreams for weeks after her second year. At least enough to be able to face her tormentors. But seeing them, face to face, alone, forced her to realize that she still wasn't over it. She was long from being over it. Time may have healed her wounds, but the scars were still there.

She took long breathes to try and compose herself, when she felt like she could make it to the common room without breaking down, she finally walked out of the bathroom to see Harry pacing back and forth in front of the door.

He was very worried, but he didn't want to barge into the girls bathroom. His head whipped in the direction of the door, when he heard it open. He saw Céline emerge, looking awfully pale. He had never seen her look so...troubled.

Not even when her father had hit her in front of everyone in the Weasley's home. Even then she didn't look like she could break any second.

It made him think, just what exactly did those two girls do to her.

He was about to open his mouth, when she shook her head.

"I just want to go to bed... I know you want to know... but... I can't right now." She said quietly, tiredly.

All he could do was nod, he didn't want to push. He put an arm around her shoulder and walked with her to the entrance of the Slytherin Common room.

There were no other words exchanged, other than a goodnight, before Céline walking through the large dark wooden doors.

As soon as she entered, she wanted to head straight to her bed.

"Everhart," a stern voice called out to her. She sighed know who it belong too.

"Not now, Malfoy." She said, without looking at him. She didn't have anymore energy. She needed to go to her room, she was so close.

"We weren't done talking earlier, before you walked away." He said, approaching her. When she wouldn't look at him, he frowned and he stepped in front of her. "I said we—"

He paused as he saw her face. She looked like she was ready to faint. Her eyes were red, like they were straining to keep tears at bay.

"What happened?" He said lowly. She still didn't look at him and she just shook her head, not trusting her voice.

He put both hands on her shoulders and tilted his down to try and make eye contact. "What's wrong?" He said in a softer tone.

Her emerald green eyes, finally made contact with his blue-gray ones. His eyebrows were creased with concern.

Again, there was something about Draco that kept her from being able to lie to him and say everything was fine. He was an arse most of the time, but then there were moments like this, where he had this look on his face, like he genuinely cared.

That's when she felt a tear slip down her face. His eyebrows raised, surprised to see this side of her. Her pouty lips quivered as she tried so hard to hold it all in. Her hands were balled up into fist. Her green orbs swirling with so much pain.

Before he knew what he was doing, he pulled her in and embraced her tightly. She buried her face into his chest, as her hands reached his sides, grabbing the fabric of his sweater.

She released the tears she had been holding back. He held her close, as they stood there in the middle of the empty common room. After a couple of minutes of her crying, he was worried that people would show up.

So, he gently pulled her away and looked down to see her tears trained face.

"Let's take you back to your room, where it's more private." He said gently. She nodded, still crying, as he put his arm around her and guided her up the stairs to her room.

As soon as they entered, he sat her down on the closest bed, sitting down next to her and held her close again.

Draco was frowning. He was upset with whoever made her feel like this. He was ready to pulverize them into nothingness.

He didn't know what had come over him. He's never dealt with anything like this. His father imbedded into his brain that, if you cry, you were weak. And you never show your weakness to anyone.

But seeing her let her tears fall uncontrollably, made his heart clench.

There was something about Céline, that always made him do things he's not use to doing, or never did, like to hug someone. To comfort someone. To kiss someone. To show concern for someone... To like someone.

He pushed that last thought to the back of his mind.

He came back to reality, when he no longer heard Céline's whimpers or felt her shoulders shake. He looked down to see she had cried herself to sleep on his chest. She must have been exhausted from today he thought.

His face turned red, there was this feeling he's been getting since the end of last year and he didn't mind it. He caressed her hair for a second, before laying her back slowly and gently, placing her head on the pillow.

He didn't want to wake her up, but she was also still in her robes. He looked at her, before quickly turning away, realizing that he probably shouldn't be looking her while she slept.

He carefully removed her shoes and placed her legs on the bed. He looked around and saw a throw blanket folded neatly on top of the trunk at the end of the bed. He grabbed it and placed it over her.

He looked at her for a second more, before quietly walking out of the room.

As he made his way down the stairs, Daphne, Tracey, and Pansy were walking up. They stopped and looked at him confused.

"Malfoy? Why are you coming from the girls side?" Daphne asked suspiciously, looking behind him to see if anyone was there.

"Did something happen to Céline earlier at dinner?" He countered.

Daphne and Tracey furrowed their eyebrow at him. Pansy frowned at the fact that Draco called Céline by her first name. He didn't do that with anyone.

"She wasn't at dinner." Tracey said confused. "Why? Is she alright?"

Daphne's face changed to worry and was about to continue up the stairs, before Draco lifted an arm out to block her.

"She's sleeping now, but... no I don't think she's alright. She didn't say what happened though."

"You think it could have been Beauxbatons?" Daphne asked.

"I'm not sure... but if it was.." Draco said in a low and threatening tone. The three girls looked at him a bit surprised at how bothered he looked by it all.

"Let's let her sleep then, and we'll figure it out tomorrow." Tracey suggested. They all nodded in agreement.

The girls turned back around and headed back to the common room for a couple of hours before deciding to go back to sleep.