Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 52

Before long, it isn't just me, Hermione, Harry and Ron. We have been joined by Luna, Neville and Ginny, too, within the space of ten minutes. Pansy has hold of me by my collar tightly, and is occasionally digging her nails deep into the back of my neck or trampling on my toes. I'm kicking her in the shins with everything I've got. Draco is definitely relishing my failure of getting free. Harry is sat in the chair at Umbridge's desk, unable to move. 'You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?'
'No, I -' Umbridge's hand flies up and slaps Harry, hard, across the face. Even the Slytherins look startled, and I struggle harder against Pansy, as Snape shows up.

Harry tries to drop clues to Snape about what we were really using the Floo Network for, by mentioning both "Padfoot" and "place where it's hidden". I think - I hope - that Snape got this message, as even though he looks blank, I can still see something in his eyes which indicates the knowledge that he knows what Harry is talking about, before he leaves the office. 'You leave me with no other choice, Potter. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue.'
'That's illegal.' Hermione says, and her and Ron begin struggling further with Crabbe and Goyle. 'What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him.' I continue to kick Parkinson in the shins as Umbridge raises her wand, and I try twisting my arms, but nothing works. 'You can't do this!' I shout, 'You are a Ministry official, and to perform that curse is a complete violation of the law, you would be -'
'Enough!' Umbridge shrieks.

I can hardly look, and I shake my head as I watch the scene, horrified, still trying to shake Parkinson off me. Draco is watching me struggle - even he looks taken aback. 'Tell her, Harry!' Hermione cries, and I look at her.
'Tell me what?'
'Well, if you won't tell her where it is, I will.' I glance at Ron, bewildered.
'Tell me where what is?' I can hear the impatience building in Umbridge's voice.
'Dumbledore's secret weapon.'

Seeing as Harry, Hermione and Umbridge have left, the need for a back up plan to get out of this mess becomes necessary. I begin to think, start to put my mind to it, but nothing happens. And then, Ron says abruptly, 'I'm hungry.' I look at him, raising a brow, and he winks.
'Yeah, me too.' I sigh.
'Let go, you tosspot. I'm getting some sweets.' Ron sulks, extracting a bag from his pocket. 'Fuck off, Weasley.' Goyle snarls, cramming the sweets into his mouth, not expecting them to be puking pastils. I, on the other hand, extract my wand, and, whilst the other Slytherins, bar Pansy and Draco, run out of the office vomiting, I bellow, 'Petrificus Totalus!' Pansy hits the floor with a loud thump, and I join in the giggle fit and go to leave the office, but a hand grabs my robes.

'Where do you think you're going?'
'Shove off, Malfoy.' Ginny snarls.
'Zip it, Weasley.' Draco glowers at her.
'You're not the boss of me.' I smirk.
'You're going to end up getting yourself killed. I'm just looking out for you.'
'Maybe you should have thought about that earlier this year before you called me a mudblood and we broke up, hm? Seems sensible.' I turn to the others, my brows raised.
'We'll wait outside.' Ron mutters, shutting the door behind him.

'I had to.'
'Utter bullshit.' I spit, 'You've put me through so much, Draco, I can hardly take anymore. You've spent the past few months insulting me at every opportunity. Don't you understand how that feels?'
'You haven't been much better.'
'I've mostly ignored you and tuned you out! Now, I have a job to do, and I have people who need me, and I have to go.'
'Don't you understand?' Draco shouts, 'You won't come back if you go!'
'And why do you care?' I scream, suddenly full of anger. What a bitch, leaving me all this time with torment and suddenly turning around and acting like he cares when I need to do something for someone who actually does care about me. 'I still love you, you know.' Draco mutters.

'Maybe, but that doesn't change a thing.'
'It does for me. If you go now, and you never come back, how is that going to make me feel? I still care.' He takes a deep breath. 'You told me that you didn't even want us to be back together.'
'I was mad, you offended me.'
'I offended you?'
'I know, I know, and I'm sorry, but . . . I have to do this, right now. And I didn't mean any of what I said, I didn't, but you made me mad. And I still love you. My - my patronus memory . . . you're in it.' Draco's head snaps up, his eyes dancing. 'If you really need proof.' I shrug. 'Maybe once I get this sorted we can start again . . . again.' I hurry towards him and embrace him, hearing the door opening.