I Can't Sleep (D.M. x OC)

Chapter 12: The Aftermath

*Tanins POV*

The light shining through the window hurt my eyes as they fluttered open. I could tell it was still relatively early in the morning. Yet Mme. Pomfrey was zipping around the wing helping students. She looked over to me and smiled. Within a few moments she walked over and asked how I was feeling. My head hurt and I was sore, but I could see clearly again. "I suggest you head back to your dorm and collect yourself before school starts, also tell your friends they need to stop worrying so much. I hope to not have a visit from you again Miss Jackson" she said, allowing me to leave.

After whispering the password and entering the common room, it was nice to have the peace and quiet. I opened the door to my dorm when my eyes caught sight of a boy with platinum blond hair resting on my bed, with his head perched against the wall.

As I closed the door the sound of the click must've gotten his attention, I guess he didn't notice me enter right away as he was deep in thought. "For Salzar sake Tanin, you scared me" Draco said, sitting up. He was still in his uniform. "What are you doing here Draco?" I asked, grabbing clothes from my dresser with the intention to shower before school. "I was waiting to see if you got home okay, which you did obviously" I could tell that him saying that made him embarrassed. I let out a little chuckle as I went to the bathroom to shower.

Once I finished my shower I got a good look at myself in the mirror. My black eye was gross, and there were bruises on my neck from Montague struggling to get me off of him. I looked down at my hands that were also covered in bruises, and on the knuckle on my right hand there was a scab from bleeding.

I went back to my room with Draco still sitting on my bed. I sat down next to him. "Are you okay?" he turned to ask me. I looked down at my hands and then back up to him "Yeah, or at least I will be" I replied. "No offense, but you look dreadful" he said with a laugh. I laughed too knowing how bad I looked. I noticed his hands were bloody.

"Draco, did you stay here the whole night?" I asked without taking my eyes off his hands. "Yeah, I just couldn't sleep"

I nodded understanding what he meant, I probably wouldn't have slept either if it weren't for the sleeping potion. He noticed me staring at his bloody hands before saying "It's ok you know, they don't hurt, I'm used to punching people" I grabbed his hand pulled my wand out of my pocket and began healing his hand. "Tanin what are you doing?" he asked, trying to pull his hand away. I grabbed his hand more firmly trying to keep it in place. I didn't give him a reply because I knew he knew what I was doing.

When I was done healing he thanked me. I could feel my eyes becoming droopy again. My head still hurt. I rested it against the wall behind me. I could see Draco was starting to fall asleep as well. I put my hand around his face and moved his head to rest against my shoulder. He did so hesitantly. Once he placed his head down, I titled my head to rest on his. "I think it's time you get some sleep" I whispered, and I felt him nod. I could tell he closed his eyes, so then I closed mine and fell asleep.

*Draco's POV*

I have never felt so much rage in my life. How dare Montague accuse Tanin of being a whore and then punch her right in the face. I was mad at myself more for not preventing it before it even happened. I shouldn't have let her dance with that slimeball in the first place. My only job was to protect her and I failed.

When we got back to the dorms I couldn't help but flip put. I knocked stuff off the coffee table before angrily sitting down on the couch with my head in my hands. Everyone cleared from the common room leaving just me and Zabini. He tried to console me and reassure me everything was fine, but I could tell he was just lying to himself because he was radiating the same amount of rage. Nott entered a bit after we did. "How is she?" I asked standing up quickly. "I don't know, apparently she was hit pretty hard, but Pomfrey wouldn't let me stay." Nott said angrily pacing. Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint came from their dorm and sat with us all in the common room. This was probably the worst time for Montague to return from the wing.

We all stood up defensively as we walked by. He walked to the top of the stairs before he turned around and said "Mates, the skank deserved it, but sorry for not realizing she was your group's whore." I was already bolting towards the stairs when Flint tackled me, pinning me to the ground. "It's not worth it Malfoy" Flint said, trying to calm me down. He was right, it would only make it worse.

"She's not a whore or a skank Montague, you're just mad she has self respect to not want to be around you. You mess with her again and I doubt any of us will hold back." Crabbe said. Crabbe wasn't one to talk. I would've never expected him to stand up for Tanin either. I'm grateful he did. Montague left for his dorm. He's lucky none of us dorm with him. After a bit the boys started leaving for the dining hall since dinner was gonna end soon. Flint stayed with me, making sure I wasn't gonna have an outburst again. I convinced him to let us go to the Hospital Wing to see Tanin. I felt so guilty for letting that happen to her.

On our way there we ran into the other boys, we all agreed to go visit her together. As we entered the wing Mme. Pomfrey looked at us like we all had five heads. "Visiting hours are over boys, and Montague should already be at the dormitory" She said. "We're not here for Montague, we're here to see Jackson" Flint said. "Even if I could allow you to see her, you can't. She's sleeping. I had to give her a sleep potion to help with her pain. Now she'll be back later, on you go" Mme. Pomfrey said annoyingly as she ushered us away. "Will you let her know we visited?" I asked pleadingly. She gave me a nod before walking away to tend to another student.

When we got back to the dungeons everyone left to go to bed, it had been a long night. I sat in bed knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep. I let Tanin get hurt. 'Why did I care so much?' I asked myself. She's just another one of the boys. Without thinking I got up to go to her room and sat on her bed. I was hoping she'd walk through the door so we could talk and then I'd be able to sleep. Her bed felt homier than mine, but it was different when she wasn't there. I kept waiting and waiting for her to return. I probably sat like that for hours wandering in my thoughts about how she's doing and what I'll say when she gets back. Then the click of the door closing brought me back to life.

She looked awful. Her hair wasn't as neat as she normally kept it. Her black button up shirt was untucked and wrinkled. Her skirt was ascue and her thigh high socks uneven. Her face and neck were covered in bruises and she had a dark black eye. She looked as if she'd been through hell. She went through hell all because of me.

When she brought my head to her shoulder I finally felt at peace again. I closed my eyes and was asleep in seconds. This was the fastest I've ever fallen asleep. I didn't care that I was still in yesterday's uniform. I didn't care that I probably smelled from stress. I didn't care that we were sitting up against the wall on her bed. I didn't care that the morning sun was shining through the underwater windows. All I cared about was that Tanin was safe next to me and that we were both able to sleep.