Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 4- Ch. 81

Céline never understood why Marie Ann DuPont hated her so much. In the beginning it was more of simple teasing that she was the daughter of the Transfiguration professor, getting special treatment. Then progressively got worse after she defended another muggle-born student.

Marie Ann became relentless, it almost became an obsession of hers to see Céline isolated and miserable.

Céline felt like there was no escape from it while she was there, so after the incident that sent her to St. Mongos, she was relieved that her father transferred her, even though they didn't believe that another person was the cause of her injuries. Or maybe they knew, but didn't want to make a scene that affected their reputations. It was the latter.

So when she came to Hogwarts, it felt like a fresh start, she would try her best to become friends with people. No one really knew her, they probably knew her family, but not her.

Céline was so happy that she was able to find such good friends who believed her and listened to her and defended her. She felt like she could finally move past that traumatic experience.

When she saw Marie Ann in the group of students that were visiting she was terrified that she would try something. But nothing happened. Yes, she approached her, but her friends came to her aid. She had gone through almost the entire year without much interaction and when she did have one, she was able to stand up for herself.

Céline believed that it was enough to show Marie Ann that she had enough and that she couldn't do anything to her anymore. Céline thought that Marie Ann had given up.

She never knew why Marie Ann was so obsessed with seeing her miserable.

Céline heard voices whispering near by and when she stirred a little, the voices stopped. Slowly, Céline opened her eyes, wincing at the bright light coming through the windows around her. She looked around to see, Harry, Ron, and Hermione on her left side looking horribly concerned.

At the foot of the bed stood Hagrid and Dumbledore looking at her, and to her right stood Daphne and Tracey. Daphne looked like she had been crying with her eyes red and puffy. Tracey looked very worried.

Céline attempted to sit up and hissed at the pain she felt through her body, especially her left arm. When she looked down, she saw that her arm had been heavily wrapped up in bandages.

"It would be best if you didn't move too much, Miss Everhart." Said Dumbledore, calm. "We are glad to see you awake."

"How long have I been here?" Céline asked, her voice hoarse because of her dry throat. Hermione quickly stepped over to the bed side table and poured her a glass of water.

"Since last night." Said Daphne, looking down, scrunching up the covers on the bed. Céline could see her friend's bottom lip quivering. "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have let you go by yourself.. I should have persisted."

"How did I get here?" Céline asked, as she lightly patted Daphne's hand.

"I found yeh at the bottom of the hill..." Hagrid step forward, looking at her with a grim expression, "I heard someone scream an' when I  stepped aroun' my cabin, I saw yeh lyin' there."

"We saw him rushing into the castle and he told us to get Professor Dumbledore." Said Hermione, taking the empty glass from Céline.

"Céline what happened? What were you doing outside at that time?" Asked Harry.

Her body stiffened, she glanced over to Dumbledore who was patiently waiting for her to speak, and then looked away.

"I... had lost something... so I was retracing my steps, thinking maybe I dropped it during Care of Magical Creatures lesson, I decided to check over by Hagrid's cabin..." she hesitated.  She was scared of the repercussions that would undoubtedly come from tell them what happened.