Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 19

OKAY I SHALL BE UPDATING A LOT TONIGHT! daenerysdiaries convinced me to, but I'm going to publish pretty much all my chapters which I've been stocking up so there will probably be a lot in your notifications.
Just so you know.
Mazzie.

When I wake, I suck in a deep breath and look around to find Hermione by me, sitting up in her bed. 'What - what's going on?' I whisper.
'We were petrified. We're okay now, though. Madam Pomfrey says we are free to go whenever, but we will have to change into our robes. The feast is about to start. Everyone is down there now. We don't need to worry about anything else, Harry and Ron entered the Chamber of Secrets and found Ginny, she'd been kidnapped. They killed the Basilisk. Dumbledore came up here and told me, said I had to pass this onto you.' Hermione explains.

'He also said that they are waiting for us in the Great Hall, and Malfoy is waiting for you, too.'
'Draco?'
'Yes. Apparently he's been visiting you every day since he found out about your petrification.'
'Really?'
'Yes. Now come on, we'd better change.' Hermione says, getting up. I jump off my bed and follow her from the hospital wing, and the two of us make our way to Gryffindor Tower, to the common room.

There, we both change into new school robes and hurry from the common room, talking of what Dumbledore told Hermione. The Chamber is no longer a threat to us, and Ginny is safe. According to Dumbledore, she was saved with minutes of her life to spare. I close my eyes before we enter the hall, the buzz of talking and laughing filling my ears. When we step into view in the hall, I look around. I see everyone who was petrified before me, sitting and enjoying the feast. And then I see Harry and Ron stand up and run to us. I throw myself at Ron, hugging him tight, before I hug Harry with equal pressure. Hermione awkwardly shakes Ron's hand. 'Lyssa?'

I turn around and see Draco walking towards me, and I run up to him and throw my arms around him, hugging him tight. The hug I receive back is warm. 'Thank God you're alright, I've been worried sick the whole time.' Draco breaths in my ear.
'I'm fine now. Thanks for always visiting, I've been told everything.'
'Oh, it's okay.' He shrugs. 'Listen, I'm just glad you're okay. I was thinking maybe we should try and do something in the holidays, make up for a bit of lost time. You've been petrified for a while now.'
'Sure. If I can, that is. I'm pretty busy all summer, I think. I mean, I'll have to check. I'm on holiday with my mum and then my dad. And I'm staying at Ron's the last week.' Draco's face changes for a fraction of a second, but I don't mention it.

Then, I notice Parkinson shouting of Draco, calling him over. 'I'm just glad you're okay.' He smiles, and I give him one last hug before turning to Ron and Harry. 'We couldn't have done it without you both.' Harry grins at me. I smile and glance at Hermione. 'Everything good with Malfoy?'
'Spiffing.' I laugh as we all take our seats at the Gryffindor table as McGonagall calls for attention.

Half way through Dumbledore's speech, the mountainous figure of Hagrid steps through the open doors. 'Sorry I'm late.' He says, making his way down the silent hall. He stops when he reaches me, Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'If it weren't for you four, I'd be back at you-know-where. So I jus' wanted to say thanks.' Hagrid smiles. Harry stands and looks up at the giant figure of a man. 'There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid.' I smile up at him along with my three best friends, and then I hear clapping coming from the teacher's table. Dumbledore appears to have encouraged large amounts of clapping, and this begins to echo to the students. Soon, the room erupts with whistles and cheers, and the students begin to flood from the benches and surround Hagrid. I call and grin along with everyone else, smiling as I watch Hagrid's face fill with glee.

The feast is wonderful. After being petrified for so long, I seriously appreciate the amounts of food and the incredible conversations. Of course, all of the Gryffindors are thirsty to know exactly what happened, and I try to avoid awkward questions as best as I can. I'm not the biggest fan of attention. Once we have eaten, the four of us and the rest of Gryffindor house file back up to our common room. 'You two need to go and pack.' Hermione turns to the boys.
'How do you know? You've been petrified!'
'Because you're always so last minute. I'm not stupid. Me and Alyssia will do some last-minute packing up of our final few things, and then we will meet you back here in the common room.'
'Alright, mum.' Ron rolls his eyes.

Hermione and I head to the girls' domitories. 'It's a good job we keep most things in our trunks all-year round.' I laugh to Hermione as I envisage the boys trying to pack everything up. 'I know. I just need to put away a few little things and then I am good to go. I bet it takes the boys all night to pack.' Hermione shakes her head as she starts to place a few spell books on top of some clothes in her trunk. I pack my books and a few spear quills and ink pots into the case and snap the lid shut, then wait for Hermione, who only takes five minutes longer than me. 'Let's go.'

We wait downstairs for about half an hour. The boys seem to take forever packing. Me and Hermione sit down with Ginny, and she informs us in detail of everything that has happened in Hogwarts after we were petrified. The boys join us a little while later when Ginny gets to the part about the Mandrakes being fully ready. 'Harry, we'll need to go and get our owls.' I say to Harry, who nods. He and I make our way through the portrait hole and down the corridor. 'I'm so glad you and Hermione are okay.' He whispers.
'Yeah, me too.' I smile back. 'Just think, another year of Hogwarts done and dusted.'