𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 {a Draco Malfoy story}

chapter twenty-eight

     My face went blank. Turn off my emotions? What did that even mean? "I apologize, but I am not aware of how I am to do that, my lord."

     "It's simple. Close your eyes, take a deep breath in - yes, very good - now, you need to want it. It's almost like a switch." I felt him walk closer to me. "Turn it off, now."

     I opened my eyes again and I felt... nothing. Absolutely nothing. I smiled and faced the Dark Lord again. "Thank you, my lord."

+++

3rd person

     When Rose walked back into Draco's bedroom, there was an obvious tension that she was not the same Rose that had left the room earlier. Draco stood up quickly and hugged her, wanting to make sure that she was okay. She, however, did not hug him back. In fact, she pushed him off of her and placed the ring Draco had given her on his bed. "Won't be needing that, anymore."

     Pansy's face was distraught. Blaise and Theo exchanged glances, not knowing what had happened.

     Draco was the worst by far. His heart had been shattered into many different pieces, and he couldn't believe that Rose, his Rose, had been acting in such a manner. He clutched onto her hand, not wanting to let her go. "Rose, what's wrong?"

     "Let go of me, Malfoy, it's disgusting how desperate you are. As soon as we arrive back at Hogwarts, we're working on that cabinet."

     Blaise interrupted her, putting a hand up. "Rosalind, this isn't you."

     She rolled her eyes and glared at the Italian boy. "You know, Zabini, I thought you would have at least some common sense. It appears as though you're still that boy I despised on my first day at Hogwarts, that horrible school."

     Rosalind stepped out of Draco's room, her hand on the doorknob. "Oh, and the Weasley's pathetic excuse of a house was burnt down. Not like they had much to lose, anyway." She slammed the door shut and headed to her own room.

     Draco sat back down on the floor, his head in his hands. "What just happened?"

     "Draco, did Voldemort do anything while you were downstairs?" Theo asked. Draco didn't look up, but mumbled in his hands. "Mate, you're going to have to speak louder."

     The blonde boy ran a hand through his hair. "I said, he told me he wanted to have a moment alone with Rose. I don't know if he tortured her or anything -"

     "I think I know what it is," Pansy spoke after being silent this entire time. All eyes turned to her and she pulled her knees to her chest. "I think she... well, it's kind of like getting rid of your emotions. She can get them back, but it's pretty hard to."

     "What, you mean she turned her emotions off?" Blaise scoffed. "I thought only vampires could do that."

     "If what Draco said is true, then she can too. Draco said something about her being a descendant of Merlin, am I right?"

     He nodded his head. Blaise slapped his hand on his leg, licking his lips. "She wouldn't do that. Rose wouldn't."

     "You don't know what You-Know-Who can make people do."

     "God damn it, Draco, say his name. Vol-de-mort. We don't have much to lose, anyway," Theo yelled.

     "I'm sorry, I've got worse things to worry about. My bloody girlfriend just turned off her emotions!" Draco shouted back. Pansy stood up and stopped the boys from going any farther. Theo sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Sorry, mate."

     Draco shook his head. "I wish I could turn off my emotions right now."

     "Don't say that -"

     "Blaise, you have Pansy. The person you love didn't just get rid of all her feelings towards you."

     "She'll come back to you, Draco."

     "Yeah? And how can you be so sure about that?"

     The whole room went silent. "I think it's best if you three leave."

     Blaise and Theo left the room, but Pansy stayed back. "Draco, you know that I love you as a friend. Please take care of yourself. I'll talk to Rose tomorrow, try to spark something in her. But you need to promise me you won't do something stupid."

     "Fine."

     Pansy looked at him one last time before leaving. Draco sat on his bed, grabbed the snitch Rose had given him all those months ago and played her voice. 

Hello, Draco. It's me, Rose. I wanted to let you know that I hope you're well, and that you're beautiful on the inside and out - especially on the out. I'm hilarious, I know. I'm thinking of you, forever and always. Love, Rosalind.

     He clutched the snitch close to his heart. Tears rolled down his pale face, as he still didn't want to accept the fact that the Rose he loved wasn't there anymore.

     In that moment, he made a promise to himself. He promised to never stop trying to get her back, to never stop putting in all his effort, and to never stop loving her. 

     Meanwhile, as Pansy apparated home with Theo and Blaise, her eyes began watering. Blaise pulled her into a hug and held her head against his chest. "Don't cry, love, don't cry. It's all right. Rose is going to be okay."

     "You can't say that, Blaise. You can't be certain."

     "Penny, you need to have hope," Theo said. Pansy gave a small half-smile. 

     "You're calling me Penny now?"

     "Between 'Pans,' 'Sisi,' and 'Penny,' I think Penny suits you the best."

     Pansy sniffled and hugged Theodore, too. "What in the world would I do without you two?"

     "Probably have to rant to Greengrass and Bulstrode. God knows they give the worst advice," Theo joked. The three friends sat beside each other for many minutes, thinking about how they lost Rose. "Have hope. L'espoir est la meilleure réponse pour une mauvaise situation, as Rose used to say."

     "She's completely right. Hope is the best response to a bad situation." Blaise laughed. "Merlin, even her last name means 'to hope.'"

     Pansy smiled. "Yeah, yeah it does. Espérer. That girl is... something else."