Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 6- Ch. 184

Over the next week Céline focused on trying to get into the Room of Requirements, but always failing to do so. She would be under the cloak of invisibility, but she was afraid that if she followed too close, she would be caught. She also couldn't follow him too frequently, because Daphne and Tracey began to question her whereabouts. They've taken notice of her disappearing all the time.

"Where have you been going?" Daphne asked one morning. She pulled Céline back down onto the bench at the Slytherin table during breakfast when she had gotten up with the hopes to follow Draco. 

Céline looked at Daphne and Tracey who were looking at her with concern. "I... nowhere in particular."

"You've been disappearing a lot these days.. We thought that you would be with your Gryffindor friends, but when we look, you're not there with them." Tracey said softly.

"Well, I've been visiting Ron in the hospital wing--"

"No, we know when you're visiting Weasley." Daphne says. She pauses for a moment and her eyes widnened. "Are you getting bullied again?" she asked, her tone was alert and her eyes start searching the Great Hall for any potential bully.

"No, no no." Céline said quickly, trying to reasure her friends, "I'm not-- its not that.."

"Then whats going on?" Tracey asked.

Céline opened her mouth for a moment and then closed it, only to open it again. She was trying to find the right words or how to explain without giving out any detail. The last thing she wanted was to involve her best friends into something that potentially was dangerous. "I.." She sighed. "Look, I can't really talk about it, I'm trying to figure it out myself..." Céline leans in closer to them and they do the same. "I'm just worried about Draco... He's been disappearing a lot this year, and I've been trying to figure out what he's doing..." She said quietly.

Daphne narrowed her eyes at Céline, "He's not cheating on you, is he? Because if he is I'm going to--"

"No.. He's not cheating... He's... getting involved with something that I know is putting a lot of pressure on him, but he won't talk to me about it..."

"So you've been following him, trying to figure out what he's doing? Is that why you're always disappearing somewhere?" Tracey asked her quietly. Céline nods. "Do you need our help?"

"Sorry... I know you two are probably worried about me, with everything that's happened, and you have no idea how much it means to me that you two are always willing to help... but I need to do this on my own... at least before I go and get help.." Céline said. She was so touched that she had friends so willing to help her whenever she needed it. 

"We're always here for you, Cél. You're our best friend." Daphne said. Céline smiled at them appreciatively.

"Thank you... I'm always here for you two as well." Céline said genuinely.

"With that, are you going to watch the match? It's Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff." Daphne said.

"I... was thinking about it.. but--"

"No, buts. Everyone is going and I thought you'd want to go and support Potter." Tracey said. 

Céline did want to go. She thought that they were right. It was likely that Draco would be there too. She nods, "Right.. I'll go." The two girls smiled at her.

After breakfast the three of them head down to the pitch with many of the other students. As they were going to the stand, on the Slytherin side, Céline saw a quick blur of platinum blonde hair going the opposite direction of the pitch. Céline stopped and looked to her left and saw Draco walking back up to the castle, with Crabbe and Goyle. She sees him stop in front of Harry who was just coming out of the castle with his Firebolt.