enchanted • draco malfoy

Year 6: Not Your Fault (Draco's POV)

Draco's POV

I held the simple but ornate box, trying to control the shaking in my hands as I strode confidently to the Three Broomsticks. A thick black hood hid my face from view, but even so, I was nervous. I slipped in, unnoticed, and crept towards the back of the building. Taking a deep breath, I lurked in the shadows near the lavatory and waited for someone, any Hogwarts student, to come around.

I was about to give up and find some other way to get the package to Dumbledore when Katie Bell rounded the corner, humming under breath. I grit my teeth, trying not to think about how she's friends with Felicity, and murmured under my breath, "Imperio."

She stopped her movements immediately and I came into view in front of her slowly. "Katie Bell," I addressed, "Deliver this to our Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Tell him you don't know who it's from, but that it's a gift." I handed her the package, my cloak hiding my features, and walked away quickly.

Sighing, I took the hood off my head when I was far enough and made my way to the door. I froze as I saw Felicity with Potter, Weasley, and Granger, laughing. She caught my eye, and it was almost comical, how fast her grin faded. 'What the hell are you doing,' she mouthed. I fought the urge to run over and tell her everything. Instead, I walked out of the building and back to Hogwarts as fast as possible.

I found the Room of Requirement in no time. This time, it was just a simple room with no decorations and stone walls the color of Felicity's eyes. I bit my lip to keep from sobbing, even though no one was here to hear it. I collapsed on the floor as my body shook.

What have I gotten myself into?

~*~

An hour later, there was no evidence on my face that I'd given away an enchanted necklace to kill my Headmaster. I lounged in the Common Room, my eyes scanning the recent letter from my father. I sighed, clenching my fists. Fuck this.

Regardless of how I felt towards my father, I threw the paper in the fire before marching over to where Pansy Parkinson was sitting in a deep green armchair and pretending like she wasn't staring at me.

"Pansy," I greeted, trying to make my voice pleasant and not bothering to beat around the bush, "Would you like to be my girlfriend?" She looked shocked, before squealing. "Yes, Draco!" she shouted, springing up from her seat and throwing her arms around me. I grimaced and didn't reciprocate the gesture. She pulled away, grinning, and I gave her a polite smile before striding out of the Common Room.

Felicity and I had agreed to meet up in our room in an hour, but I decided to go early and try to think of some way to tell her about Pansy. I settled myself on a desk, lost in thought, before the door slammed open.

Something told me she'd already heard about-

"Pansy Parkinson?"

I cringed. I tried to sound reasonable and gentle. "Look, Fel-" I started, but she wasn't done speaking yet.

"And what about Katie Bell?" she asked, and my face paled. "Any idea what happened to her? Or you could tell me about the dark circles under your eyes; why you're getting no sleep and why you're stressed all the time." I didn't know it was possible to feel worse than I already did. "Really," she finished, "explaining any of the three would be excellent."

My eyes widened at the sharpness in her tone. I raised my hands in surrender. "Please, Felicity," I pleaded, "Just hear me out." I took a deep breath before saying, "Pansy is just for show." Felicity's hands formed into fists as she muttered, "Explain."

I exhaled loudly. "My parents," I said, "need everyone at Hogwarts, namely any Slytherin with Death Eater parents, to see me with someone that's not-. . . someone in Slytherin." I knew she'd caught my mistake in the way she seemed to radiate anger. "Someone that's not what, Draco?" she demanded, "Someone that's not me?"

She pushed off the door she'd been leaning against to stand right in front of me with a glare that could likely scare the Dark Lord himself. But I held my ground. "Yes," I agreed, "because anyone who sees me look at you will know that I am in love with you."

I could tell I'd said the right thing this time. "Felicity," I said softly, "you know that I love you. You, and only you." Though calmer, she still looked defiant. "And Katie Bell?" she inquired, "My friends seem to believe you had something to do with that."

I willed my expression to stay neutral. I stepped towards her, murmuring, "I asked you in the beginning of the term to trust me." I came to stand in front of her as I said, "Please, Fel. Just trust me." I rested my hands on her hips and my forehead against hers.

My grip tightened as her voice trembled with her next words. "Draco, please don't," she whispered. My heart squeezed. "Whatever's going on," she continued, "whatever's got you this exhausted all the time. . . please don't." How long had she been watching me, observing?

"Whatever's going on with Voldemort or Dumbledore or Death Eaters or your parents, just-" I couldn't help it. She was too much, too close to my secret, too much love and hope crammed into one person.

My lips were on hers.

I looked my hands around her back and pulled her closer to me, until the space between us was gone. She threaded her fingers in my hair and pulled, enough to drive me absolutely crazy. I held back a groan, rather unsuccessfully.

She pulled away first, before I wanted her to. We were both panting. "Just tell me," she breathed. I was confused, before I remembered what we were talking about before. "If you're not going to tell me what's going on," she said, "would you at least tell me why everything's happening?" I sighed, stating, "You're not gonna like it."

And my heart broke a little at her gentleness when she held my face in her hands, before she muttered, "I've never liked anything regarding your parents." I chuckled, suddenly consumed with the weeks worth of exhaustion stemming from keeping this secret.

So I stared into her eyes as I said, "You can't tell anyone, Felicity. Not your friends, not your family, no one can know." She nodded earnestly. I averted my eyes from hers, scared of her reaction. "The Dark Lord gave me a task," I began, "He gave it to me to prove myself, yes, but also because. . ." I trailed off. Maybe this was a bad idea.

"Because he knew, because everyone knew, how much I love you," I finished.

I could read the shock in her face, but worse than that, worse than anger or betrayal or hatred would be, was horror, at herself. "But it's not your fault," I told her before she could think otherwise.

"You-You're saying that everything that's going on," Felicity whispered, "is because of me?"

Oh, no. No, no, no. Fuck.

"No," I said, "it's not your fault. Yes, I've been given this. . . task, because I love you, but I'm the one that's causing everything that's happening now." I struggled to find the right words as I saw tears pool in her eyes.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit," she cursed, staring at the floor instead of me. I lifted her chin up and gently said, "Hey. It's not. Your. Fault." Felicity nodded half heartedly. She said, "I should go, Draco." I refused to let her leave, not when she thought she was still to blame.

"Felicity, I'm serious. Please, please don't blame yourself," I begged. She reached up and gave me a sweet, slow kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow, Draco. Goodnight."

I sighed as she left the room, before turning to punch the wall closest to me. I hissed in pain, before shaking it off and storming back to the Common Room.

I shouldn't have told her. Now she would only think that it's her fault.

I just needed this war to be done with.

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kinda a really shitty chapter that took too long but finals have been rough

also it's my birthday(may 24th), any birthday twins ?

- alex

song(s):

run - vampire weekend

empty gold - halsey