𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 • (𝐝.𝐦.)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲

♔

As I sat in the kitchens with no sign of Draco by 12:15, I wondered if either I was just paranoid or he had actually ditched me. 

When the door opened, I tensed, hoping it wasn't a teacher or something. 

"Sorry I'm late, I was almost caught by Filch," Draco said from behind me, and I immediately relaxed. 

"You scared me," I said with a light chuckle. 

"Sorry," He said again, an apologetic smile on his face. He walked over to where I was sitting byt the large fireplace in the middle of the room. 

"Cozy?" He asked, noticing the blanket around my shoulders, and I nodded. "I was so cold," I said. 

He walked over to me, bending down to sit on the floor next to me and my blanket. He snapped his fingers and a house-elf appeared from somewhere in the kitchen, hurrying to our side. 

"What does Sir Malfoy need?" 

Draco straightened himself out, facing the house-elf now. "Can you please get us a full English breakfast?" Draco asked the elf, and when they nodded in return, I figured out this food was for me. 

"With no black pudding or mushrooms, though," He added, and I looked at him with a chuckle. 

"What are you laughing about, Warrington?" 

"How'd you know I didn't like that stuff? The stuff you took off the breakfast," I asked, and he shrugged. 

"I don't like mushrooms and you don't really look like the type of girl to enjoy black pudding. I don't like it, I think it tastes rather rank, actually," He said. 

I nodded and soon the house-elf was back with the plate of breakfast food. "Thank you," I said, but Draco said nothing, just talking the cutlery from the elf's hands. 

"Now eat," Draco demanded, and I rolled my eyes. "Can I eat half? I'm really not that hungry," I asked, but he shook his head. 

"No, you need to eat. Besides, you agreed to this," He said and I groaned. 

I pulled the plate onto my lap, beginning to eat and actually enjoying it a lot. I didn't expect to be so hungry, but once I actually began to eat, I got hungrier and hungrier. 

"I told you this was a good thing," Draco said proudly, but I said nothing as I ate like my food would be taken away. 

When I had cleaned the plate, I felt much better. I hated to admit it but Draco had been right, I needed a proper meal. Living off of apples wasn't doing me any justice. 

"That's more like it, right?" Draco asked, and I nodded. "I'll admit, this was a good call," I said, feeling rather satisfied. 

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" He asked, and while the house-elf took my dishes away, I tried to figure out how to bring this up in a normal way. 

"I- Draco, you can't become a Death Eater," I said, not wanting to beat around the bush. I could've been more sensitive about the whole thing, but I needed this information out. His face went blank and he broke the eye contact between us. 

"We already discussed this, Maggie, I have to," He said.

We were sitting on the ground, Draco with his knees up and me sitting with my legs crossed. I leaned towards him, "I don't think you understand. I went to the library, I read up on it and-"

"Why must you keep interfering? I am keeping you safe, let alone the fact that my father has planned this since the day I was born," He snapped, any happiness in his eyes gone. 

"It's so dangerous, Draco. I don't think you understand. I read-"

"Who cares what you read? My life had been planned for me, I have no say in the matter. I wanted to keep you safe, mostly, but that was just something that made this whole situation more tolerable. I could say at least Maggie is safe, but I have to do this anyway," He said somberly. 

"People die like this," I pleaded with him. 

"Once you're branded, you can never take it back. It never comes off," I said.

"I know that. You think I don't know that?" Draco snapped again, tearing his eyes off of me and forcing himself to stare at the roaring fire once more. 

"Then why?" I asked, reaching out to touch him and placing my hand on his arm, waiting for an explanation. 

He said nothing for a while. I didn't want to push him, I knew this was hard, but I needed him to know that if he wanted to, I would help him find a way around this. I would help him find a way out of this. 

He never moved my hand, though. He left it where it was, and I moved my thumb back and forth, doing my best to comfort him. "You need to know I'll be here for you," I said quietly. 

As the reflection of the flames danced in his blue eyes, I knew he wouldn't agree to try and resist. 

"No matter what you choose. I will be right here," I said. 

At those words, he turned to me. "There's nothing I can say tonight that will make you happy with me, but just know this is inevitable for me. I can't avoid it, it's my fate," He said. 

"What if you could choose your fate?" I asked softly, knowing that might be a totally stupid thing to say, but not caring all that much- I wanted his opinion. 

"That's a silly notion. It's naive, the sooner you learn that, the better," Draco said, standing up abruptly, my hand slumping back to the side of me. He walked out of the kitchens faster than I could comprehend. 

I was left alone on the floor, thinking and reflecting on what had just happened. What went so wrong? 

Eventually, I got up and made my way back to the common room. When I stepped in and the painting shut behind me, I walked up to my bed and flopped onto it. Draco was beyond intervention. 

Why did a part of him feel like he had to protect me anyway, he had no responsibility when it came to me. 

None at all. 

♔

on again... off again... so much angst. btw... THANK YOU ALL FOR 10K!!! i love you all and appreciate all the comments and votes!