Adamantine - D.M.

Chapter 6 - Asseveration & Apologies

The next morning, I awoke early; or rather, barely slept. The sun was stretching its fingers across the dormitory in a glittery haze. I had laid awake most of the night, trying to make sense of the last 12 hours. Since we were 11, the thought of fancying Draco had never crossed my mind. He was pompous, rude, and downright creepy at times. In our third year, he had pretended to be gouged by a Hippogriff just to avoid having to do homework. I hadn't exactly been fantasizing about him. Besides, Harry hated him. Clearly, if the "chosen one" or whatever they're calling him nowadays dislikes someone, I hardly doubt they're an exemplary person to remain in company with. But... I thought about the odd feeling that came over me the previous night. And why for fucks sake did the Amortentia smell like Draco's cologne? I decided this was a puzzle I didn't want to piece together, and I dressed silently and headed to the common room. 

"Oh-Harry, you're up early," I said, upon seeing Harry in a chair by the fire. "My first day as quidditch captain" he admitted, looking a bit nervous. "Are you going to come?" I shrugged. Romilda had been begging me since the start of term to go with her, but I wasn't going to mention that to Harry. "I might" I began, realizing that I probably needed to clear the air. "About last night-" Harry looked away from the fire. "What you saw with Draco, in the hallway- it wasn't what it looked like". Harry chuckled, lightening the mood. "I didn't think I walked in on you and Malfoy snogging if that's what you're worried about". I exhaled deeply. Thank god. "Honestly, it's probably good I walked in when I did" Harry continued, "after that body bind hex you threw at him, he probably would've cursed you" he concluded. I feigned a little laugh, "I actually dumped mud on him during detention" I continued, digging myself deeper into security. "I think I owe you one for that" Harry chuckled again. I left through the portrait hole, resolving never to speak about what happened between Draco and I- not even to Romilda. 

A few hours later, I found myself on the quidditch pitch, next to Romilda. She had spent almost an hour putting on some very glittery gold eyeshadow. I think perhaps she was trying to lure Harry, thinking he was blind enough to confuse her eyes for the snitch. The team had kicked off, tossing around a quaffle, the newer players trying hard to stay upright on their brooms. "Oh- I forgot to ask-" Romilda started, "did you ever find Draco last night?" I gulped. "Erm- no" I tried to say casually, watching Ron save a goal, but almost fall off his broom in the process. "Good thing too," she added as she searched around the pitch for Harry, "I think I'd rather eat a bogey-flavored Bertie Bott's than ever be caught apologizing to Malfoy... I mean how inflated could his ego get?" She was right, as much as I hadn't wanted to admit it- last night was a mistake. 

That evening at dinner, Romilda was picking at her food. "Have you ever heard of an unbreakable vow?". "A what?" I asked, cutting myself a slice of roast turkey. "An unbreakable vow" she stressed the words again. I shook my head, and she continued. "Snape mentioned it in Defense Against the Darks Arts on Tuesday". "If you think you're going to get Harry to make an unbreakable vow with you" I scoffed "you might be a little late on that". I gestured to where Harry and the new quidditch team sat; Ginny included. She rolled her eyes. "What happens if you break an unbreakable vow?", I asked, humoring her. "Well," she said thoughtfully"You can't break an unbreakable vow". I rolled my eyes. "I'd worked that much out for myself, funnily enough. What happens if you break it, then?". Romilda looked at me seriously. "You die". 

Hundreds of miles away, inside a very handsome manor, sat Voldemort. In the light of the crackling fire, he stroked Nagini. Glancing down, he admired the rope-like lines, seared into his translucent wrist.