Harry Potter's Soulmate || Drarry

CHAPTER 3

Draco's PoV -

As Draco left the train, hundreds of eyes followed him, burning holes into his back. Followed by his friends, Draco gracefully made his way to the entrance of the castle, the other students seemed to naturally avoid his path; and within three minutes, he was sitting at the far end of the Slytherin table, surrounded by a few people who didn't mind still being associated with him.

It was maddening that he had to tolerate another year of being at Hogwarts. The only relief was that he still had a few friends that stuck up for him, and, according to Pansy, they would happily 'hex every bastard that called him a death eater'. The accusations weren't his only problem though, it seemed as though every student detested his existence or just didn't leave him alone.

As usual, the Head Mistress announced the arrival of the newest teachers and droned on through her excessively long speech. It was predictable in its content, it was about the rules, how the sorting was to be done and the rules of Quidditch this year. The only part worth noting was the section regarding the Eighth Years - they had a new block, separated into houses with a common room between them, they could eat wherever they wanted, and there was no obligation to sit at the table of your house (e.g. Draco could sit at the Hufflepuff table if he chose to).

Draco watched the tiny first years chatter excitedly to each other in the middle of the hall. In theory, this year at Hogwarts was intended to be very similar to the previous years, other than the eighth years who were retaking classes, however, it was not.

There was a distressing increase in portraits that had been put up around the school. Some of teachers, some of students. All were of those who died during the war.

Even Peeves was less mischievous than he'd always been before.

Though nobody would dare ruin the experience for the new students, Hogwarts had undeniably changed, along with everybody in it.

After the sorting of the first years, Draco watched the banquet appear in front of him. His appetite had disappeared for the past week due to the absolute dread of returning, along with the apprehension over potentially finding a soulmate.

He doubted it would happen, the Malfoys had been immune to the Minister's spell for generations.

There was no point in holding out hope for the inevitable lack of a soulmate. He would only hurt himself by thinking he had a chance.

Draco picked at the pasta that Theo had slid in front of him, his nose wrinkling in disgust as he noticed mushrooms in it. After forcing down a mouthful though, he decidedly stood up, proceeded to wish his friends goodnight, (telling them that he was going to read for the rest of the evening) and swiftly drag himself off to the newly built Eighth Year Block.

The hallway was ominously silent, the air was stagnant, and the moment he was completely out of view from the students in the Great Hall, Draco's rigid posture fell apart, and his shoes began dragging against the icy floors. He was completely alone on the steps, and seeing every new portrait on the walls broke him all over again.

Draco, trying to ignore the watchful eyes of each painting, made it to the Eighth Year Block and pulled himself down another set of stairs to get to the Slytherin dorms. Before entering the room with 'Malfoy - Zabini - Nott' written on the door, Draco looked at the small portrait on the wall beside him - it was of Severus.

Stumbling to his dorm, Draco collapsed onto his bed. He thought about the horrified glares he got on the train and the malicious words that had been thrown at him. He felt his heart beating sporadically in his chest; he felt hollow... empty, as though his ribs were closing in on his lungs, and his breaths became forced and irregular. His eyes swept the confined room and the shadows that seemed to dance on the walls. His head began to spin. There weren't walls any more. Just darkness. The room filled with deafening silence - unquestionable proof of his solitude.

Pulling his knees up to his chest, Draco's legs began to tremble, and his arms turned cold and numb. He had around 10 minutes until the others came back. 10 minutes to regain control. 10 minutes to go back to normal.

His eyes shut, and his breathing soon returned to normal. Sleep had calmed his thoughts and allowed his chaotic mind to untangle the mess that it had knotted itself into minutes earlier. His legs, which had been clutched to his chest were released from his harsh grip, and the fists that he had made loosened. 

This always tired him out. Every time. So much that he was too exhausted to notice his shoes being removed by one friend, and a sheet being pulled over him by another.

So exhausted, in fact, that he didn't hear the hushed whispers about the words that they saw marked into his left arm.

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Author's Note - Some of Draco's PoV to spice things up ~ <3