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

167. Odd

DISCLAIMER

I do not own Harry Potter ... but it was announced that Tom Felton is reprising his role as Draco in his fine old age and idk how to feel about it

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Bel had suffered.

At this point in her life, she would call pain her mother tongue.

She had been through repeated torture, numerous injuries, lost love, tragic death ... The list could go on.

But despite all those years of suffering making Bel believe she had grown a thicker skin and higher tolerance to agony, she still found herself a weeping mess when the time came to say her goodbyes to Remus and Gus.

After her birthday, Bel had come to the conclusion that she would return to Hogwarts no matter the Ministry intervention that would join her.

Harry was entirely to thank for that conclusion, in more ways than one.

Not only did he remind her of the good things that would come from retuning to Hogwarts, but he himself, albeit unknowingly, was one of those good things.

Indeed, the distance still had to remain. They weren't ... in a relationship like they had been before.

Neither one had spoken of where they stood with the other, understanding that they didn't need to.

They were on the same page now.

Distanced, but without denial of friendship. They weren't denying themselves the chance to speak to one another, sit beside one another, share what they could with each other, comfort each other, smile together.

But going beyond that ... being with each other in a way that was more than that is still what Bel had to avoid.

The same mistakes cannot be made again.

And she wasn't willing to push and risk what nice middle ground they had stumbled upon by some miracle.

Sure, it would be difficult at times. Being back at Hogwarts, spending time with him would present challenges.

Like keeping a friendly distance. Like keeping her lips off his. Like refraining from telling him how she still felt about him. Like keeping herself away when she inevitably had moments of weakness where she could only think about the comfort of being in his arms.

But it would be easier to do that than it would be to distance herself from him completely. The past week of her trying that had proven how disastrous it would have been.

Now all they had to do was work out how to go back to being friends. Like in their first three years of school together.

All the while, Bel would be able to keep a safe eye on him and the rest of her friends, obtain some sense of normalcy, continue training with Dumbledore, and try and keep as far away from the new DADA teacher as humanly possible.

Should be simple enough.

The fact that she would be required to lead as normal a school experience as possible to remain in good graces with the Ministry would certainly act in her favour. Besides skipping a few classes in favour of private tutorage, of course.

As for her duties with the Order, that was something for her and Dumbledore to figure out once they got back to Hogwarts and had worked out just how badly they were to be scrutinised.

Bel wasn't prepared to drop everything suddenly, nor was she planning to. Her duties would be upkept as much as possible.

But in the meantime, she had a train journey to catch, friends to be reunited with, and goodbyes to say.