Lioness (Draco Malfoy X Reader)

Chapter 19

The next few weeks were crazy. Harsh treatment, strict rules and even stricter teachers, and no time to myself. The things I had come here to do were being pushed farther and farther back on my To Do list, and it bugged me to no ends. I was able to spend no time with Draco, no time getting Ginny to trust me, no time preparing for what I was sure was coming. I was all busy with homework and detentions. That is, until we began using the Room of Requirement as a hideout.

We were there for days on end, with Neville discovering a passage to the Hog's Head, where Dumbledore's brother would provide us food. I'd sneak out occasionally for updates and such, also to sneak around and figure out what exactly was going on at Hogwarts.

One day, while we were sitting in the room and just regrouping, Neville went into the portrait. We all thought it was to get food, but he later came back into the room with three people. We were surprised to see that it was Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Naturally, as soon as I saw Ron, I ran over to him and engulfed him in the biggest hug I've ever given anyone. I held tight and never wanted to let go.

Ron didn't return my hug, though. He just tried to push me away. Since I was hanging on so tight he couldn't, so he said, "Could somebody get her off me?" That was it for me, and I let go.

"What...?" I looked at him, and I honestly felt like I could cry. Had I turned every Weasley against me? Does my best friend not trust me anymore? I had told Luna to explain to them everything, but how could I be so sure she did? "Didn't Luna tell you anything?"

Ron nodded, turning away. "Yeah, she explained everything to us. But how can we be so certain we can-" He stopped, lowering his voice. "That we can trust you?" I choked back a sob. So he didn't trust me.

"I thought that, out of everyone who knew, you'd be the one who'd trust me and stick by my side." I backed away, shaking my head. "Don't you think that if I wasn't to be trusted, I'd be back with him? Not here, trying to help protect the school I've grown to love so dearly?"

"(Y/N), it's just that-"

"Save it, Ron. Neville, I'm going out." Neville nodded and I rushed out of the room, hoping to get as far away as I could in order to clear my mind. It wasn't very late, but it was late enough that there were few people out in the halls. And that, that tiny moment of peace and quiet, was the last time I felt that in my time at Hogwarts.

~The next day or whatever (sorry I don't have the book right now)~

"Listen! You cannot just go out there and, and-" I was interrupted, quite rudely, by Ginny arguing back, "Let me go fight!"

"You have to go home, Ginny, you're sixteen!" Mrs. Weasley argued back, taking Ginny away from me. She still didn't trust me, none of them did. I walked away from the fight, not wanting to be around people who didn't want to be around me. Besides, I had to go find Draco.

Ten minutes into searching for the blond Slytherin, people began rushing past me. I realized then that the fighting had begun, that Hogwarts was being attacked. I was anxious to find Draco, but fighting for Hogwarts was more important. Draco could handle himself.

I ran into the battle, shooting spells and hexes and anything but the Unforgivable Curses. I swore to myself I'd never use any of those again.

I was tripping over rubble, barely dodging spells, and getting shot dirty looks and dangerous spells by my former Death Eater companions. My arms and legs were scratched up, my face was bruised, my feet sore, but I fought on.

I had to fight on.

I passed Ron, Harry, and Hermione at one point, and someone was about to shoot a spell at Ron. I quickly got rid of them (not in a bad way), and shouted to Ron to watch his back. That I wouldn't always be there to save him. He didn't say thank you, he didn't smile, he just nodded my way and continued going. That almost broke my heart.