**Full disclosure: I believe this is one of the last requests I did in the HP one shot book. This was requested by the3deathlyhallows - oh yay, the tagging worked (I hope)! If you're rereading this, lovely, this was from my Romance in the Wizarding World one-shot book from once upon a time ago! The story remains mostly the same! If your user has changed and I've tagged the wrong person, terribly sorry!**
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Come on, Rachel, you have to keep trying. He may be stubborn, but you're worse. You won't let him get away with keeping this from you.
Now, I know what you're thinking—this has something to do with a boyfriend who's acting suspicious. You are wrong on so many accounts it's not even funny. For one thing, Draco Malfoy is not my boyfriend. I could consider us friends, but even now I'm not so sure with the way he's acted lately. He'll still talk to me, sure, but I know he doesn't tell me everything. I already know what he's turned into and what he supposedly has to do. The only detail I don't know is who he has to kill; he's keeping that under lock and key.
Draco has been avoiding me lately. I can't really blame him, as I've been persistently pestering him since November. It's now April, and I can tell the time is getting close for him. He's acting worse than ever, practically becoming a recluse. If I can't get to the bottom of this and help him, someone is going to die here at Hogwarts.
I use my free period to roam the castle halls in the hopes I can catch Draco and confront him. What good will that do? Unless you get him to take Veritaserum, he won't tell you the name.
I am about ready to give up on my search when I see it—a flash of black. It isn't hard to guess who I just found, he's always worn black when not in Hogwarts robes. I go after him, keeping my feet quiet against the floor.
It isn't until I fully see him do I realize I really found him. I barrel down the hall and screech to a halt in front of him. He jumps back and nearly falls to the floor.
"Bloody hell, Rachel!" he hisses. "Where did you come from?"
"Does that matter?" I retort.
"Are you stalking me?"
"Can we talk?"
"Can't, I've got places to be." He starts to scamper off, but I stay in his way, my blue eyes steely. "Rachel, get out of my way."
"No, you've been avoiding me for too long, Draco. You know that I know what's going on, all I need is the name."
"I'm not telling you."
"Why not?"
"I can't. I won't."
"Why?"
"I don't want anyone else to be involved." His voice is low but very menacing.
My heart races in my chest. He's tried to scare me off with this voice before, but I only find it sexy each time. It's hard to take a man seriously when you're in love with him. Yes, don't be so surprised if you are. If you are already, I'll make your mouths drop.
I'm a Gryffindor, and my friends are Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. They've always been against Draco since first year. There was a time where I was with them, but now, especially this year, my thoughts of him have changed drastically. I partially blame that on how attractive he's become over the recent years.
If they find out my feelings for Draco, Merlin only knows what will happen.
"Do you think I care about danger? Do you forget who my friends are?" I scoff.
"You'll get yourself killed, you know that?"
"I don't fear death," I lie. I'm determined to say almost anything to pry the answer out of Draco.
Who would the Death Eaters want dead? Harry is too easy to guess, he's under heavy protection. What if it is a teacher? What if the Death Eaters want to make a point and murder one of the professors?
"Rachel, if you don't back off, you'll make me do something I'll regret. I don't want to get you involved."
"Didn't you hear me? I don't care about danger."
"I don't think you understand why I'm telling you no." Draco takes his wand out, pointing it right at my chest.
I don't show fear; I know he won't hurt me. "Put it away," I say calmly. "Nothing has to happen here."
His wand arm trembles, he looks as though he's about ready to crumble. "If you know what's best for you, you'll stop digging where you shouldn't. I mean it, Rachel. If you ignore me, I can't protect you anymore."
"You've been protecting me?" I deadpan.
"You think I want you to get hurt? You think I want to keep the name from you? You think I really want to threaten you right now? I don't, Rachel. I have to do this so you'll back off and stay away."
My eyes soften. I don't see a point in continuing this game any longer, he's won. "If you insist, I will. But when you're in too deep and come running to me, don't expect me to bail you out of trouble. If that happens, remember that you pushed me away."
My words hit Draco, he puts away his wand. He advances to me, and before I realize what's going on, he's got me in his arms. I am very tempted to pull away, but my feelings for him make me stay. He's shaking.
It is very hard to resist pulling away and kiss him right now when no one is looking. The only thing keeping me from doing such a thing is Draco holding me. If he feels that way, he will probably make the move first.
The move never comes, so I assume we are only friends. It hurts, I can't lie. Maybe he's holding back because he knows that if he does, he'll pull me in further into the mess. I am only bringing up my hopes only to have them crash and burn. Draco Malfoy is the one I choose to pine for, but he doesn't choose me.
"I don't want it to be like this," he mumbles. "But it has to be." He fingers my long brown hair softly, like he's afraid he'll get his hand tangled in there.
I don't let him see the silent tears that fall down my face.
