The first two months of school passed smoothly. Draco, Adriana, Blaise, Pansy, and the rest of the Slytherins joined the Inquisitorial Squad Umbridge set up. At certain points, Draco or Adriana would become distant if certain topics were brought up, an effect of their traumatic summer. Sadly, the trio seemed to suspect something was untruthful about their summer stories. Whenever she passed the Gryffindor table, one of them would shoot her a worried look.
One morning, Adriana took her usual seat next to Draco. Blaise was gloating about a hit he had on the Quidditch field, and Draco was engaged in the conversation, regaling his epic capture of the Snitch. Adriana smiled, glad to see her boyfriend happy for a change. Blaise's eyes flitted to Adriana, and a smirk formed over his lips.
"Might want to catch up on that DADA assignment there, Dolohov. If it's another day behind, Umbridge is gonne kill you," he grinned, but it didn't last long. Adriana was sent nearly to the floor as her bench got kicked backwards. She jumped up just in time to see Draco plant a punch right on the side of Blaise's face. He had gone pale, and his eyes were full of pain. "The HELL, man?!" Blaise coughed, clutching his jaw.
"Don't you ever say something like that again!" Draco was shouting now, and Blaise looked utterly beyond confusion.
"What did I even say?!" He was stumbling backwards. Adriana put together that her bench fell when Draco quickly had launched himself upwards to meet Blaise.
"Draco," she whispered. "It's fine...let's go out in the hall." She took her boyfriend's arm, and she could feel him shaking. They went out into the outer corridor, out of sight of most of the hall. Little did she know, she had landed just within sight of a few select Gryffindor students.
HERMIONE'S POV
Hermione stood up and dashed out behind them. She ducked down behind a pillar, trying to catch their conversation. She peeped through a space between pillars. Draco had slid against the wall, down to the floor, his head in his hands. He was obviously very upset, to the point of tears. Adriana slid down next to him, gently pried a hand away from his face, and held it. He leaned his head on her shoulder, and she leaned her head against the top of his head.
"What happened?" She whispered.
"I don't know...," he moaned.
"Yes, you do. Why did you hit Zabini? He was just messing around."
"It was what he said...it triggered something Bellatrix said, and then all the stuff that came with her words. I don't know, it's just that the concept he was referring to...whenever Bellatrix would say something, a ton of pain followed...so whenever someone says words similar to hers I just kind of go into survival mode...or today, protection mode. I'm sorry."
"Don't be...I'm glad my man is so protective," she tried to smile, and gave him a little nudge. "I'm sorry you were put through that...it happens to me to. The PTSD catches up to me, and I react very oddly. I go into this state of just, pure grief, and I can't function."
"When does that happen?" Draco looked up at her with a frown.
"Not often...only a few times. Usually right after a nightmare, but then I wake up and you're there," Adriana smiled as he squeezed her hand.
"Want to go to bed?" Draco asked innocently.
"It's only seven."
"I need sleep...and you...especially tonight."
"Okay." They got up slowly, and walked back toward the Slytherin dorms hand in hand.
Hermione let out a long breath at all she had just learned. So they were lying about their summer. She dashed back to the Gryffindor table, and flopped onto her bench, the eyes of her end of the table glued to her.
