Skill and Seclusion [2] || Harry Potter x OC x Draco Malfoy

157. Solution

DISCLAIMER

I do not own Harry Potter ... but if I did I would NOT be a popular author because I am fully prepared to traumatise my OCs within an inch of their lives 

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Bel had one night to figure out how she was going to live the next week before the year came to an end.

Facing three life-altering realities presented to her over the past couple of days would be a lot to handle.

The first, and the current most important, was dealing with the aftermath of Cedric's death.

His passing still weighed heavily on not just Bel's shoulders, but on all those around her.

Last night, she had heard Riley sneak out of their dorm room in a fit of sniffles, most likely to go and wake Ollie.

Patrick, Winston, and Zach were all sleeping on the sofas in the common room area, not feeling right being in the same room as Cedric's empty bed.

Bel herself had been tempted to take herself to the room she stayed in during the summer, having a more private space to unload emotionally in.

But she had decided it was best to be around other people right now.

Which brought her to her second reality.

Having to separate herself from those she cared for to keep them safe in the near future.

Specifically, having to distance herself from Harry.

Even thinking about doing such a thing bought tears to her eyes.

After her talk with Malfoy of all people yesterday, she had come to realize the importance of accepting help during this grief-filled time.

Harry was always the person she relied on most to calm her. Starting to distance herself from him now would present more challenges than leaving it to a later date would.

Bel had made a very easy decision to leave it until summer arrived.

Perhaps it would be cruel. Shutting Harry out rather abruptly, without a word of warning, just as they had started to officially become more than just friends, leaving him in a state of confusion and panic in this changing world without her beside him.

Certainly, it was selfish. Choosing to live this next week in his company, not revealing a single hint of what was to come, purely for her own benefit.

One day he might be able to understand it was for his own good. A strange way of showing him how much she cared for him.

Keeping secrets from him had always been with good intention before, and it would be this time too.

Or maybe he wouldn't understand.

Maybe he would be mad at her beyond fixing.

Maybe that would make it all easier.

Harder to begin with. Having to see the boy she loved understandably hating her.

But in the long run, he would be as safe as possible.

And the mistakes made by her parents wouldn't be repeated.

That being the third reality she was living in now.

Having the truth about what happened to her parents, the type of people they really were, the heart-shattering story of their lives and deaths, knowing they sacrificed themselves to save her.