𝐀 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 [Draco×OC]

32: Harmonia Nectere Passus

Draco's POV

The moment I had avoided for so long finally arrived, later than sooner, but it came. Avoiding her hadn't helped at all; I knew at some point I had to be honest with her and tell her everything I was going through at that moment. If anyone deserves to know the truth, it's her. I don't know if she'll be able to or even want to help me, but at least I wouldn't have to carry this weight alone, knowing someone could understand what I was going through.

"Do you see this cabinet?" I said, uncovering the stupid cabinet that still wasn't working. "It's a vanishing cabinet. It allows you to move from one place to another if you step inside it. You see, there's one at Borgin and Burkes, in Knockturn Alley, and if I repair the one here at Hogwarts, the Death Eaters will be able to come through it."

I could see her curious gaze as she looked the cabinet up and down, thinking about how to respond.

"And why do you have to do it?" she asked, still looking at the cabinet.

"Because my family asked me to... Actually, that wasn't the only thing they asked me to do."

Shit.

Was I doing the right thing by telling her?

"What else do you have to do?" she asked, now looking at me with the same curious expression.

"I... I have to kill Dumbledore."

For a moment, I thought she would step away, horrified by what she had just heard come out of my mouth.

But no. She didn't move or stop looking at me; instead, her gaze softened, and she started walking towards me.

"Draco..." she said, caressing my face. "You don't have to do this alone."

"It's just that... I wanted to protect you," I said, looking down. "I couldn't forgive myself if they hurt you again."

"And I want to be close to you, no matter what that means," she said with a smile, holding my chin and making me look at her.

We both remained silent, but it wasn't the uncomfortable silence I feared. On the contrary, it was comforting being with her, even with this silence so full of unspoken words and fears.

I tried to find something to say, something normal enough to help us breathe a little and ease this awful tension I still felt in my body. I remembered how we used to talk about anything before...

"I quit the Quidditch team," I suddenly said without thinking much.

"Really?" she said, surprised, though it sounded more like a scolding than anything else. "Why? You were the best Seeker in the school now that you knew how to fly..."

"I didn't have the focus for it anymore," I said, shrugging, trying to downplay it.

She nodded slowly, with an understanding look, as if she knew exactly what I was going through. Her gaze softened even more.

"Well... Not to brag or anything, but I got an Outstanding in Potions," she said with a smile, "and Slughorn wants herbs from the Amazon when I go back to South America."

"Slughorn is asking you for things again?" I laughed. "Well, that's what you get for being his star student."

"Yeah, seems like it," she laughed. "Sometimes it can be a bit annoying, but it's not too bad..."

Seeing her smile a little was a relief amidst everything that was going through my mind at that moment. But I noticed it still wasn't enough, and I didn't blame her. I mean, why would she forgive me so easily? She said she wanted to be close to me, but she still saw me as someone distant, withdrawn. At first, the Angie I met was combative and a little annoying. I'd told her more than once that I didn't understand her ideals she always tried to defend. But this Angie wasn't like that anymore. She was more understanding, maybe more sensitized, more... withdrawn too.