Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 65

I remove myself from the discomfort of the environment shortly after Ingrid herself does, and whisk myself away and to Ginny's room, deciding on getting ready for bed. The darkness that presses around the Burrow leaves opaqueness in my heart and makes my brain feel fuzzy by the way the blackness is cutting through the scenery outside the window. I inhale deeply and close my eyes, sitting down on my bed, wondering to myself. If things with Draco had not ceased to exist, if he hadn't sold his heart to another, should I be at his, as of present, within the walls of his room, underneath his sheet, his arms wrapped around me? I know should that have happened I should be taking it for granted, yet now I would not. I would be happy to have him, because I miss him more than I miss anything, and I wish things were different, but I guess I cannot control who he chooses, no matter how much it kills me.

Interrupting my thoughts is the sound of loud banging coming from outside the door, a noise which echoes around the room. 'Yes?' I sit up straight and look towards the general direction of the entrance, seeing a tall, red-haired boy before me. 'Oh. Hey, Fred.' I smile, trying not to make it forced, and watch as he approaches me, taking a seat on the edge of the camp bed. 'Hey.' He responds, leaving us in a silence for a mere moment. 'What - do you mind if I ask what all of that was about back there?' His tone is soft, and I know I can trust him to be sensitive with the situation. 'Did George want to know?'

'Well, he's with Ingrid now, and he was curious, but then again, so am I.'
'I don't think it is information that you should share with your brother. He would be most unimpressed. If I tell you, you must swear to keep it a secret from him. Things would only become ten times worse.' I watch as Fred hesitates for a moment, and then holds out his hand. 'Okay, okay. Fire away.'
'Okay. As you will almost certainly know, I am sure Ron will have informed you, Draco broke up with me. He left me within a state of confusion, with no idea why. And then he told me that he is in love with someone else. Can you guess who that someone else is?' Fred's mouth forms an "o" shape, and his eyes widen slightly. 'Oh, fuck.'
'Yeah, pretty shitty. Anyways, that's why I disappeared, that's why I snapped. She is acting like she does not know what I am speaking of! She appears further angered with me for a reason I do not know, but I cannot face her without feeling crushed, for that most obvious reason.'

Fred is silent a moment. 'You may not want to, but you should ask her. Malfoy was her best friend at one time, wasn't he? And they always come back to each other in the end, as friends, obviously. Fucking hell, if she cheated on George . . . the bloodbath would be redder than my fucking hair.' Fred chuckles the last bit, and I crack up along with him. If there is any person who can make you laugh in the face of emotional peril, it is Fred. And George, when George is here. 'No, seriously though, she's got a lot going on. If you're sensitive enough, you should maybe get the reason out of her. She may keep herself to herself, but ask her in the right way and she might say it like a total bitch but her answer is straight up.'
'Yeah, good idea.' I smile at Fred, who gives me a grin in return. The door is opened to reveal Ginny and Ron, and I quickly reach across, hug Fred, whispering a thank you, and get up to exit the room, and head in the direction of George's room.

I knock on the door gently before I enter, seeing Ingrid and George. The look I get from Ingrid is sour, but I try to keep my face as neutral as possible. 'Hi.' I mutter awkwardly.
'Bye.' Ingrid replies, and I see George give her a look, biting his lip.
'I - I need to ask you something, if you don't mind.'
'Should I leave?' George interrupts.
'It's up to you.' I shrug, watching him. He looks between us, and then stands.
'I'll wait outside the door. Just in case . . .' He knows we will probably end up ripping each other to shreds otherwise.

'What do you want, mudblood?' Ingrid snaps as soon as the door closes, and I lean against the wall. 'I want to know why you hate me so much. You know, even more than usual.'
'You know perfectly well why I fucking hate you.'
'Actually, I don't. If it has anything to do with Draco, then no. He hasn't told me anything since the start of the year.' I look down, my eyes brimming with tears, but I take a deep breath and look up again. 'I'm sorry I snapped at you.'
'I'm not sorry I snapped back.'
'Can we please just be adults here? I wouldn't be asking you if it wasn't crucial to my peace of mind that I knew, you know that. It's taking all I have to come here and ask you, don't make me leave with nothing.' Ingrid stares at me, long and hard. And then, her mouth curls into a smirk, and she begins to chuckle darkly.

'He really closed up on you, didn't he? He honestly stopped telling you things?'
'Yes, yes he did.' I reply, taking deep breaths.
'Well, telling you can't harm anyone. If anything, you'll probably get upset, so I'll get some decent self-satisfaction out of this.'
'Just say it.' I sigh, starting to become impatient.
'Control your temper. I am honestly surprised he didn't tell you any of this shit. Draco is the reason that I lost my child. And so are you. I insulted you, and he tried to defend you, and then when I wouldn't stop, he hexed me. I landed on my fucking stomach, and I was no longer pregnant. Happy now?' For a few moments, I am too stunned to speak.
'I - I don't understand.'
'I thought you were smart? He got so mad that I was offending you that he hexed me, it's as simple as that.'
'Was that this year? Oh, yes, he told me about that, but I thought . . . never mind.' That is not the story I remember him telling me.
'Yes, you half-wit. Are we done here? Are you done with your nosy questions?'

'Yes, I suppose.' I go to stand, but am stopped by Ingrid's voice.
'Now, an eye for an eye. Why the fuck do you hate me so much?'
'That is for you and Draco to discuss.' I say, making my way towards the door and opening it. 'It doesn't fucking work like that, mudblood. I told you what you wanted to know, now you tell me what I want to know. What's your problem?'
'Ingrid, I have several problems with you, but the one in question is something you shouldn't have to hear from me, in fact, I'm doing you a favour by not telling you.'
'Listen here, you little bitch -'
'Okay, calm down. That's enough.' George interposes hisself between us, putting an arm around Ingrid to stop her starting towards me. 'Well, thanks, Ingrid.' I say, walking away, hearing her shout insults after me, even once George has closed the door upon them. When I get back into Ginny's room, she is no longer there.

I see Ron rush past, and peer into the room, see me, and dart forwards. 'Alyssia, come on!'
'What's going on?'
'Have you not seen outside?' I look out of the window to see a ring of fire surrounding the Burrow, and I start, my jaw dropping. I quickly pick up my wand from the bed, and Ron grabs my arm, pulling me from the room, and downstairs into the living room. 'Ron, stay there!' Tonks calls when we reach the door.
'But we want to help!'
'Are you two insane?! Ginny, Ingrid and Harry have already gone out there, you two aren't going as well!' Not listening to Tonks, I break free of Ron's grip and begin to produce counter spells to hold back the fire, but Ron grabs me from behind. 'Alyssia, stop!'
'No, help me!' Ron gives me a long look before lowering me to the floor and extracting his own wand, helping to tame the fire.

And then, a huge crash, and several screams, a surge of heat.

It's a good job that we have all now left the Burrow. As I turn round, I see the structure, completely in flames. Ron looks distraught at my side, and I feel truly terrible for him. The Burrow was like a home to me, too, and I feel his pain, maybe not on the same scale, but I get a slice of it myself. This is the sobering reminder of how much I hate Death Eaters. All of them. And I pray that Harry's accusations are false, which I know they are, but if they weren't, there is one Death Eater that I just could not hate. But he isn't a Death Eater, and I know that for sure.