Little Bird

Chapter Forty

Draco

            When Eve finally found me in the Room of Requirement, I was hyperventilating into my hands.

            I'd seen Hagrid carrying Katie Bell's limp body inside the castle only a few minutes after I'd come back myself, and her face had been turned just enough for me to catch a glimpse of her gaping mouth before Hagrid disappeared up the stairs that led to the Hospital Wing. I'd run to the Room of Requirement as quickly as my weak legs could carry me, my vision making it difficult to keep the ground straight in front of me. I knew she'd touched the necklace the moment I'd seen her face.

            The door to the Room of Requirement burst open behind me as I was trying to hold off the panic attack bubbling up inside me, but I didn't even think to turn around and see who it was. My hands were clutching at my hair as I bent forward, my breathing coming out in short gasps—like I couldn't get enough air inside my lungs.

            Eve was suddenly beside me, grabbing for my arms and telling me in a shaky voice, "It's okay, Draco, it's—"

            "I—I killed her," I choked out, staring blankly at the floor and the terror making my chest heave with every rapid breath I took. "I gave her that necklace and now she's dead. I didn't even think to tell her not to open the package, I'm such an idiot—"

            "No, it's not as bad as you think—"

            "How could I do that? She was—she was completely innocent and I just killed her—"

            "Draco," Eve interrupted loudly, shaking my shoulders and forcing me to look at her. Her words were jumbled and rushed as she told me, "Katie's not dead."

            I hesitated, clutching at her arms to keep myself from falling to the floor and trying to comprehend what she was saying. My mind spinning and my vision threatening to black out, I asked in a low voice, "She's—what?"

            "It didn't kill her," Eve said hastily, her eyes rimmed with red as though she'd been crying. "I was just in the hospital wing with Ginny and the others, and Pomfrey said she only barely touched the necklace. She'll be awake in a few hours."

            "W—what?" I repeated, frantically looking at Eve as though I had to be sure she wasn't lying to me. "How could it not kill her? There's no way—"

            "I have no idea," Eve admitted. She watched carefully as my breathing rate began to slow, my chest finally not heaving for air every second. Holding my shoulders, she told me urgently, "It's okay, Draco. Katie didn't die, she's going to be okay."

            And then I was pulling her against my chest so quickly that my chin bumped her shoulder painfully, my arms wrapping around her tightly—like I could barely believe this was real. We hadn't killed Katie; we hadn't murdered an innocent person who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was shaking and my palms were sweaty, but the relief was making my knees weak.

            "Did—did anyone see me?" I asked, pulling away and nearly starting to panic again. "Does anyone think it was us who gave it to her?"

            Eve looked extremely pale, but her voice was calm as she told me sincerely, "No. Pomfrey wasn't even asking about where she got the necklace, and I think Hagrid figured she just found it in the bathroom at the pub."

            I barely had time to feel relief at this when Eve continued carefully, "But...but I think Harry's suspicious. I dunno, he was whispering with Ron and Hermione in the Hospital Wing, and they kept looking over at me—and...and I think I heard your name. Once or twice."