Battle Scars {Draco Malfoy}

Chapter Fifty Two

Clara did not go searching for Draco, instead after her talk with Nixie, she decided she was going to wait until Draco decided to be a grown up and actually speak with her first. After all, he had been the one who didn't give her a chance to explain what she wanted to say fully. He up and left in a fit which irritated her and certainly didn't push the idea of her wanting to live with him. She focused her attention on studying for her upcoming final exams, the last ones she would ever take and then she would graduate from Hogwarts. When she wasn't studying herself, she helped Abby in study hall as well. 

She saw him in the corridors and sometimes in the Great Hall but he made no attempts to approach her. It seemed the two were having a stand off to see who would give in and try to reconcile things first. Maybe in the beginning of the year when Clara was feeling lonely and lost, she might have been the first to do so. But realizing that she had grown quite a bit, and did nothing wrong,  she was not about to apologize for something she didn't do. She was tired of feeling sorry.

Abby was concerned for the two people that she considered her "Hogwarts Guardians." When Clara and Draco were on bad terms, it put Abby in a sad mood because she really did care for the both of them and only wanted them to be happy. They seemed the happiest when they were together. Draco smiled and Clara seemed relax, but when they were fighting, Draco seemed miserable and Clara was on edge.

One afternoon with the end of the year drawing closer, Abby didn't head to the Study Hall as planned, instead she searched the castle for Draco, hoping to make things right for the two since she still thought it was her fault that they were fighting in the first place. She found him in the library finishing up an essay and approached him.

"What do you want?" he asked her in a sharp tone.

Abby frowned. She had never really witnessed Draco's cold or harsh side as some of the students had, but she had certainly heard stories about it.

Taking a step back from him instantly, Draco watched her and quickly his face softened.

"I'm sorry, Abby. What's wrong?" he said in a far more gentle tone.

"Are you and Clara...did you guys break up?"

"What? No..." his eyes were wide at the question. "Why? Did Clara say that?'

"No.." Abby shook her head. "It's just...you guys don't talk anymore. And that's what my parents did before my dad left and my mum told me they weren't going to be together anymore."

Draco's eyes widened, not realizing that Abby had true concerns over his and Clara's relationship, comparing it to her parents' divorce.

He wasn't sure how to respond to her statement as Abby watched him, waiting for him to respond.

"Uh...Abby, I...it's not like that. Clara and I just haven't been talking that's all-"

"Right because I interrupted when you guys were talking that day. I'm really sorry-"

"It's not your fault." he quickly told the child." It's not anyone's fault...okay it might be mine, but you don't have to blame yourself Abby. You weren't part of any of it. I'm sorry I made you feel like it was your fault."

She sat down across from him. "Are you mad at Clara?" she asked. "Because she thinks you are."

Draco looked down to his nearly finished essay. "No, I'm not mad at her. I'm...mad at myself that's all." He couldn't believe he was confiding his thoughts and feelings into a twelve year old girl.

"I think you should talk to Clara."

"Did she tell you to say that?" he asked her.

"No. I just know that Clara makes you happy, so if you're mad, you should go to her so she can make you happy again."

Clara was in the common room, curled up with a textbook trying to cram every last bit of the book into her mind before she exploded when the entrance to the common room burst open, revealing a very smiley Abby.

"Come quick, Clara!"

"What?"

"No questions!" Abby smacked the book out of her hand.

"Abby!"

"Oops...sorry. But come quickly!" she grabbed onto Clara's wrists and yanked the young woman up to her feet.

"Where are we going, Abby? I don't want to watch you eat anymore sweets today."

"We're not doing that! Just quit dragging your feet."

Clara was dragged out of the common room, through the kitchens and out to Entrance Hall where she quickly saw Draco waiting for her at the bottom of the steps.

"Abby!"

"Tada!" The girl threw her hands up in the air. "Now talk to each other."

She shoved Clara forward before running off leaving the couple in a very awkward moment.

"Abby, you can be such a pisser sometimes." Clara sighed. She watched as Draco made a subtle gesture for her to sit down beside him. However, she seemed hesitant. She wanted to talk to him, but she was afraid if she mentioned something he didn't like that he would just get up and walk away again.

"Please, Clara?"