Good 'N Bad

Chapter : 12 Panic

Author's Note: So this is what you all have been waiting for, hope you enjoy reading it. Comment and vote, don't forget!
         
          I saw Draco sighing deeply, not wanting to answer my question, so I resumed checking the remaining parchments, when I completely blacked out. All I could see was an indistinct silver blade, with red gems at one end, falling at an increasing speed on me. Next moment, I felt as if a part of my body was torn away from me. I felt breathless. Pain seethed through all corners of my body and a sharp sensation shot through my forearm.

          Slowly, the pain was starting to recede and I became aware of my surroundings once more. I could hear a voice near my head, a trembling voice,

'Ava.... Ava please.... tell me what's wrong.... Ava.... don't leave me.... please....'

          When I realized that I was holding on to Draco, I slowly let him go. Draco, noticing my movements, said, 'Ava? Are you okay?'

'Water', I whispered.

'Yeah.... yeah.... hold on', and he got up and filled a glass with water from the table and brought it back. As the cool drink flowed down my throat, I slowly recovered my composure. Draco was still kneeling beside me, looking extremely pale and worried. He only spoke after I had drained the glass.

'Ava, are you okay? What happened?'

'I.... don't know. I felt as if..... as if... I was being torn apart from something.... I felt broken.... like.... like...', that was when I realized fully what had happened.

'Like what?' Draco's voice softly urged me to go on. I looked into his eyes and they were filled with concern. But I couldn't tell him..... he wouldn't understand!

'Like... nothing', I said quickly, ' I feel better now'.

          Draco looked at me for a few seconds, then pulled me into a tight hug. 'You scared me. I thought.... something had happened to you. And I couldn't bear the thought of that. I wish I could do something'. He kept mumbling and then slowly let go of me. His eyes were brimming with tears, and as I watched, a drop fell onto my hand.

          I wiped his tears and kissed him, assuring him that I was alright.

'Now come on then, if we are to clean this room today, we better get chopping', I said, producing a forced smile on my face. He just nodded and we both got back up and resumed what we were doing.

           My mind was racing. If what I thought I saw was true, then that meant that I didn't have much time. There was something that I had been keeping to myself all these years. Not even Uncle Sev knew, because I was instructed not to do so, by Lord Voldemort. I was one of his biggest secrets, the kind of secret that he didn't even tell his followers, because it was hard to believe such a thing existed, but it did. And I was a part of it.

I was a living HORCRUX!!!!

           That's right, I had a part of Voldemort dwelling inside me. Which, as long as I was alive, would keep him alive. He himself told me about this before I had joined Hogwarts, which should explain why I never made an effort to make friends.

          Voldemort had made eight horcruxes, and now, six remained. One was destroyed by Harry in the second year, in the Chamber of Secrets and now, someone else might have found out about it and destroyed another one of them. I wondered if Voldemort could feel it, but if he did, wouldn't he have come to check which horcrux was destroyed. I guess not.

          This was why Voldemort had kidnapped me, he wanted to use me. I was not proud of what I was. The possibility of what would happen to me in the future downright scared me.

          I looked over to Draco, who had started to arrange the books on one of the shelves, and just wished for him to hold me close once more. He glanced at me and gave me a smile, which I kind of returned.

'About what you said before...'

'No, its okay, you don't have to give me an answer'.

'But I want to..... I don't want to be there, but I also don't want them to think that I am weak, because I'm not.'

'And I don't think you are. Your mum wants you to be safe, and that's understandable. Besides, I think Uncle Sev has got something up his sleeve for the holidays, so you won't be quite bored', I assured him.

Suddenly, the door opened and Uncle Sev entered and sat down on his chair, looking exhausted.

'What's wrong Professor Snape? You look like you've run a marathon and lost?'

'Nothing..... Dumbledore.... the ring.... and sword.... gone....', he panted.

'The ring? Was it Salazar Slytherin's ring?' I asked with a weird throbbing in my chest.

'Yes.... but how did you....?'

'Oh, I've seen Dumbledore wearing it, that's all', I lied. Cold shivers ran down my spine when realization hit me. Dumbledore was after the horcruxes!!! And he's destroyed the ring! Did he know what the others were? Did he know about me?

'He should not have.... that's what made it worse. Who knew a man like Dumbledore would have done something stupid', he shook his head and quickly snapped out of it, talking in his normal voice, 'Anyway, I see you've almost finished cleaning the room. I'll help so we can finish it faster'.

          Draco made a move as to tell him what had happened in his absence, but a quick jerk of my head stopped him from doing so.

            Nothing more was said on the topic. I tried very hard not to think about it, just in case Uncle Sev could read it and find out the truth. In about half an hour, the office looked spotless, that is if you didn't include the gruesome creatures he kept bottled on his shelf. I didn't see any need for him to keep it since he wasn't even teaching Potions anymore. We said goodbye and left, Draco walking beside me.

'You seem very quiet. Are you sure you're okay?

'Yeah.... I'm fine.... never been better', I sighed. When we reached the place where we normally split ways, Draco turned to me.

'You can talk to me, you know. I am a pretty good listener'.

'Oh yeah? Says who?'

'Nobody... but I am... when I want to be', he said with a sly grin.

I giggled and turned to walk away.

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