Always - Welcome to the Wizarding World

Part 31

A sharp pain shot up my back, my entire body ached. I could hear no noise, I could feel nothing.

An image came into view. A blurred, distorted one, but an image, nonetheless. I could make out a body leaning over mine and shaking me incessantly. Their mouth was moving quickly, opaque, cold tears falling down their heavenly white face. Divinely emerald eyes pierced my vision, causing the haze and confusion to clear. I heard a noise, a quiet noise, but slowly becoming louder, closer. 

My name, over and over, nearly concealed by desperate sobs. Swiftly after sound returned to me, filling my ears, a smell drifted through my nose. A comforting, familiar smell. Peppermint. I blinked my eyes and I could feel beneath me harsh, stiff wood. I saw my companion clearly now, it was Draco, bawling over my limp body. I smiled; I was glad to see him. Draco thankfully smiled too, still weeping dreadfully. The noise I had heard suddenly boomed in my ears.

"Radia? Oh my God, Radia! Please, say something? Anything!" the voice cried. I shifted sleepily in place and felt myself being lifted up off the ground and into Draco's warm embrace. "I thought I'd lost you. I thought it was too late." 

"I'm not dead?" I said weakly, coughing as I spoke. My voice was strained and my throat was sore, as though I hadn't spoken in a while. Perhaps I hadn't, I wasn't sure how long I had been out. Draco chuckled, his body vibrating as he held me.

"No, thank God!" he wept. I leaned back in his arms so I could see his face. Draco looked so happy to see me, so thankful that I was still alive. He wiped his bold, shining eyes and ran his hand through his slick blonde hair.

"Draco, why am I not dead?" I asked him. It was a bizarre question to hear coming from my lips, one I never thought I'd say.

"Because I saved you, Radia". He looked so proud of himself, but I felt dissatisfied. I wanted to go, to be with the ones I loved. What was he thinking, saving me? I'd clearly jumped for a reason. 

"How?" I managed to squeak out through my tightened throat. Draco grinned bashfully at his achievement.

"I cast Aresto Momentum on you as you fell. I lay you on the ground and waited for you to wake up". 

"No" I muttered somberly. "I mean, how could you? I wanted to die, Draco, so I could join Cedric and my parents. You stopped me from doing that. Who gave you the right to control what I did with my life?" Draco looked shocked at my hostile reaction.

"Ray, I just saved your life! The least you could do is be thankful! We've already had one death tonight and I don't want someone I love to follow on". I stopped in my tracks, the anger in my heart fading at his words.

"Someone you what?" I questioned. Draco looked at the ground, his pale cheeks growing flushed.

"Nothing, it doesn't matter. You're here now and you're alright. Now, please, tell me. What the hell possessed you to try and kill yourself?" he questioned, calming slightly. I peered up into his soft green eyes and I broke down in his arms. If I was dead, I wouldn't have to deal with this. But I knew it was wrong to think that. I was being cowardly and selfish. I wasn't thinking about anyone else, just myself. That was where I had been going wrong all year. All I had done was think about myself.

"Cedric, he's...you saw, Draco! You saw him lying there! He's gone!" I bawled. Draco took me into his arms again and shushed me, rocking me back and forth and stroking my hair.

"I know, I know. I was just as shocked as everyone else, although no one was quite as grief stricken as you. Except his father". I sat up. Amos. I hid my face shamefully in my hands. I was the closest thing to a child he had left and I had just tried to kill myself. I was a selfish cow. Now I was feeling grateful that I'd lived. Dear Amos, what this must be doing to him.