I Am A Gaunt *Completed!!!!!*

Chapter 11

Dedicated to: MR_Malfoy and hermionegranger122!!! Thanks for the follows!!!

Heads up, not all of Draco's quotes are from the book.

*EDITED*

- Draco's POV -

The memories still haunt me. All the things that have happened on this one train alone. All the things that began. That ended. It's as if this train ride alone is a test to see if I can handle the journey up ahead the tracks....if I can handle Hogwarts.

'So is it true what they were saying on the train? Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts.'

'I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.'

'Think my name is funny do you? No need to ask who you are, red hair and a hand me down robe, you must be a Weasley. You'll soon learn that some wizarding families are better than others Potter, I can help you there.'

'I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks. Bloody idiot. Just who does he think he is?'

'Bloody elf. I told father to get rid of it! The thing keeps disappearing on me!'

'I'm joining the Quidditch team this year! Father is getting the whole team new brooms!'

'Did you hear? Potter fainted!'

'I know about something Top Secret that is going to happen this year! No, I can't tell you. Just wait and see!'

'Did you hear that Potter almost got expelled? He had to go to court and everything! That idiot Dumbledore is the only reason he wasn't expelled. It's a shame. Would have been nice if he was!'

'Father told me that the ministry sent one of their own to teach here, and that they were also there for Saint Potter's hearing.'

'I don't think you'll see me wasting my charms class next year.'

'Didn't mummy ever tell you it was rude to eavesdrop potter?'

'Why did I come?'

All those years of mistakes, running through me. I can't take it. The worst part is that Alliana knows something is up. She won't quite bugging me about it. To get away, I took care of the prefects but that took me all of ten minutes. Would have been more, if I had let them keep pestering me with questions.

No, I had to get away. I couldn't take it anymore. The avoiding of eye contact and the deathly stares. Pale faces filled with fear and the stuttering. Gosh, how I hate stuttering. It does nothing but show people your fear. Showing fear only makes the enemy stronger. SHOWING FEAR IS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS...but what is wrong with weakness, small part of me asks? WHAT IS WRONG WITH WEAKNESS? Another responds. WEAKNESS IS WHAT LEADS TO COWARDICE AND COWARDICE IS WHAT GOT ME HERE! COWARDICE COMES FROM THE WEAKNESS DRILLED INTO ME HIDDEN BY FAKE STRENGTH! SHOWING FEAR IS THE BEGINNING OF A NEVER ENDING TRAIN RIDE THAT TAKES YOU TO PLACES AND MAKES RANDOM STOPS WHERE NO ONE WANTS TO BE AND CREATES A MONSTER! EVERYONE HATES THE MONSTERS. "HOW DO YOU KILL A MONSTER THAT WAS CREATED TO BE NOTHING ELSE!?", yelling the last part I loose control and punch the wall of an empty compartment I just went in. It makes a tiny hole in the wall and through it I see a group of terrified Ravenclaw girls. Huffing, I glare at them and leave the compartment. People look out and stare at me but I ignore it. I am done with the stares. Maybe, this just wasn't meant to be. Maybe, this was all a big mistake! Yes. It was definitely a mistake.

"Draco.", I hear someone say behind me but don't turn around. Instead I keep walking. Fuming. Of course, the person is obvious to me. I could recognize her voice anywhere. She is one of the people who helped encourage the monster in me. "Draco, look at me!"

"Why, Pansy? So, that you can tell me I am wrong? To calm me down? Well, news flash! I. Am. Not. Like. You! I am tired of you people taking advantage at me when I am weakest and the throwing me away when you are done. Things happened in the war that effected people. Maybe, they added to the person, maybe took from a person, but deep down inside, no one has truly changed overall. No. We are just started to show our true colors. I am showing my true colors. So, I suggest that you leave right now before you regret it." I end up saying more than I meant. It was only supposed to be a warning but ended up being a speech.

"You're right. We haven't changed and we are showing who we are now, but that isn't what I was going to say.", I don't say anything but instead clench my fists and look away when she turns me to her.

"Draco, you have lost so many people and hurt so many more. I may not be your friend, but I am Alliana's, and like it or not she loves you.", I look at her and she is frowning.

"I don't deserve Alliana. She needs something better than the monster I am", I clench my fists and glare at a nearby compartment where some younger students are watching. They all quickly leave us alone.

"Whether or not you deserve her love is not your decision but hers and hers alone.", I roll my eyes in irritation at her scolding. "Don't, roll your eyes at me, Draco Malfoy! I have known you my whole life and from personal experience I know you blame yourself and will try to push away people from the thought that you don't deserve them. Well, stop it! It doesn't matter whether or not you deserve, Alliana. Whether or not you even need Alliana. Right now all that matters is that Alliana needs you! She is all alone, facing a new life and judgement. The only person she loves and trusts enough to let help her is you!" Am I really that selfish? Have I been so wrapped up in my miserable life that I missed the signs? That I missed the pain flashing in her eyes.

"She needs me?", I whisper it softly as if both confirming and realizing it.

"Yeah, so go get her, Malfoy. Go, now and go fast! You don't want to loose her. Hurry before it's too late", Pansy says both figuratively and literally. After pushing me, she watches as I nod a bit dazed and turn hurrying back to where I came from.

Alliana needs me. She needs me! I hurry all the way through the train, pushing past people and looking over heads for her. I can just sense it. She is looking for me.

There.

I see her and run. "ALLIANA!", she jerks around surprised along with anyone else, but I don't pay attention to that. I focus on her and her alone. Zoning, in on her like a predator and prey. "Alliana.", I say breathless when I reach her. She looks at me worried and I engulf her into a hug. "I am never leaving you alone again. I promise! I love you. I love you, Alliana Gaunt and I am going to make sure you know it. From this point on I will protect you ten times more. I will save you."

Instead of replying, she just hugs me tighter and we collapse into a ball of tears on the floor. Nobody can tell what tears belong to who. All they can hear is our silent murmurings of comfort and love. The only thing the passing students would notice is a broken couple slowly starting to build each other up. One word at a time. Slowly, beginning the end of the monstrous train we all fear. Just doing it together and forever.

One save at a time.