𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 - 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 (𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟒)

7 - Perfume

Ravens chirped in the distance as I stumbled over to Hermione, laying over Ron's body. His arm had been ripped to shreds.

"Oh my god," I reached for my wand, Hermione ripping his shirt off to see the wound properly.

"Emendo," I muttered, holding my wand up to his arm, the cuts healing; but it wasn't enough.

"Harry, get the essence of dittany out of my bag, now," Hermione yelled to Harry, her bag in one hand, the horcrux in his other.

"Accio dittany," he said, the bottle flying up into his hand.

"This is going to burn," Hermione exclaimed, catching the bottle Harry had thrown her before dropping bits of the serum onto his arm.

"Why aren't we at Grimmauld Place?" I asked.

"We were there, but, the death eater had hold of Ron, and I knew we couldn't stay once he'd seen where we were, so I brought us here," she panted, her voice filled with pain as she saw Ron's spliced arm.

"Go ahead and get started on the tent, would you two? I'll look after him," Hermione exclaimed.

"A tent? You're telling me there's a bloody tent in your bag?" I said.

The next morning...

We stood in the morning lit forest, dew filling the air as birds chirped in the distance, taking turns shooting spells at the horcrux.

"Protego!" Harry shouted, but the horcrux survived once more.

"Why isn't anything working?" Ron grumbled.

"I don't know," I muttered.

"Caroline, try something with your magic," Harry said.

"I'll try it, I guess," I picked the horcrux off the floor, placing it in my palms.

Destroy it.

Destroy it.

I repeated over and over in my head, but when I opened my eyes, I'd only managed to burn myself with the golden flames I created. The horcrux remained intact.

"What the hell," I threw it into the dirt, frustrated.

"We'll get it eventually," Hermione assured us, his arm in a sling. He looked so bloody tired. I felt bad for him.

Harry wrapped the horcrux around his neck, wearing the locket as a necklace.

"What're you doing?" Hermione asked.

"We have to keep it safe until we find a way to destroy it," Harry said.

"Well, what about a basilisk fang? That worked in year two," I exclaimed.

"Where the hell do you think we're gonna get one of those?" Harry scoffed.

"Good point."

I sat inside with Ron, listening to the radio as Hermione and Harry did whatever they were doing outside. Harry was being a bit annoying, so I didn't care. I'd rather just listen to music and the news with Ron inside.

Night fell over the forest, as I sat with Hermione by a small fire she'd created outside. I couldn't sleep.

"I think holding a horcrux can make someone aggravated," Hermione exclaimed.

"Why? Did Harry lash out?" I asked her.

"Yeah, and the second he took it off, he was fine," she said.

"It's an interesting theory, but it makes sense," I said quietly, staring into the fire.

"If only we had some marshmallows," she smiled.

Suddenly, we heard twigs snapping in the distance; leaves crunching as though they were being stepped on.

"What was that?" I whispered, standing up.

"I'm not sure, let's check it out," she began to walk.

I tip toed after her, as we walked further and further away from the tent. My wand was ready in hand, as we searched the forest, which had been lit with soft beams moonlight.

"Holy fuck," I whispered to her. We were protected by the muffliato charms I'd placed, but still. There were a group of bloody snatchers right in front of us.

We stood frozen as they walked past, a girl in one of their arms as they pranced over the crunching leaves.

"What's that?" one of them said suddenly, stopping in their tracks, their voice muffled by my enchantments.

"What's that smell?" he repeated.

Hermione's eyes met mine as we stood completely petrified.

They continued their conversation, but I couldn't hear a thing. I was bloody terrified. Suddenly Harry stood behind us.

"Snatchers," he exclaimed.

"Yeah, we noticed," I breathed out.

"Good to know your enchantments work," Harry hit my arm lightly.

"Right," I rolled my eyes.

"He could smell it," Hermione said suddenly, still frozen. "My perfume."

We walked back, Hermione and Harry discussing Ron's condition, but every time my mind would wander, it lead me straight back to Draco. His soft hair, his blue-grey eyes, his little smile whenever I'd hug him, his sad eyes when we argued. The good, the bad. Draco Malfoy.

"We go on foot tomorrow," Harry exclaimed as we approached the tent, Ron now standing in front of it.

We all entered, but Ron still stood. He looked angry.

"It's best we get some sleep," I said, motioning for Ron to come back inside.

He just drooped his head and walked inside, going into his room silently.

What the hell is up with him?

DRACO'S POV

We'd returned to Hogwarts yesterday, and it was the worst day of my bloody life.

Everyone hated me, other than my Slytherin friend group, and a few random first year Slytherins who thought the rumor that I had a dark mark was inspiring, and thought working for Voldemort was a dream job.

Little did they know.

I'd been made house boy, Venus the house girl, along with becoming a prefect. Of course nobody liked these decisions, but Snape and the death eaters that now roamed the halls thought it best.

On the train ride here yesterday, four death eaters had stopped the Hogwarts express, to search for Potter and Caroline on the train.

I didn't talk very much at all anymore, other than to Blaise Goyle, and sometimes Pansy. Despite everything going on around us, Pansy and Venus were doing great. I was happy for them. But I wished to talk to one person. Even just to see her face, for a second. Caroline.

Caroline. The word tasted bittersweet on my tongue whenever I said it; so I tried to avoid it at all costs. But from sunrise, to nightfall, my mind would wander to her. I can't even use the word sunset anymore.

My mind would wander to how beautifully her curls would glow in the sun, as golden as honey, soft like silk as they blew in the spring breeze. Her little nose, and how pink it would get in the winter cold. Her eyes, as dark as chocolate. But the sweetness of chocolate had come and gone;

Maybe coffee with no cream or sugar would be a better comparison.

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Thank you all for bearing with their seperationnnn. I promise they'll see each other soon!! Please bear with me, I'm sorry if this is boring. Things will get less slow soon, I promise. Throughout this book and during the separation I'll do my best to split POV's between Caroline and Draco so we get both sides of the story, but I'm dumb and might forget sometimes. If it goes a while without a Draco POV, please yell at me in the comments and I'll make one LMAO.

- Callie :)