the girl with all of the choices

f o r t y - f o u r

4739 words

june eighteenth- the truth, or part of it...

"What do you know?" I asked him, approaching him so that Dean couldn't hear.

"I already told you-"

"Draco, this is bigger than us. You have to tell me," I pleaded, staring into his stormy grey eyes. He was conflicted. But, that meant he was considering telling me. "Please."

His eyes broke from mine as he glanced behind me, over towards the two Gryffindors.

"Not around them," he muttered.

"You're really going to waste time arguing with me about this? Just tell me. They could help, you know."

"Not around them," he repeated, his jaw clenched and his voice harsh.

I turned to look back at them hesitantly before looking back at him.

"Fine," I grumbled. "Let me know if you see them," I said to Dean.

"Got it," he mumbled. "You better watch yourself, Malfoy."

"Yeah, yeah, Thomas. You don't scare me," Draco spat, grabbing my hand possessively. "Let's go."

He started to drag me off away from Gryffindor Tower, his grasp strong, causing my hand to hurt slightly.

"Ow," I winced. "You don't have to drag me, you know. I would have just walked with you."

He didn't apologize, but he loosened his grip on me.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "They can't hear from here. There's nobody around."

"That doesn't mean someone won't stumble across us," he said, continuing to tug me around a corner, revealing two familiar staircases. One led down to a door to go outside, towards Hagrid's hut. The other led up to the New Astronomy Tower. "Come on," he said, starting up the stairs to the New Astronomy Tower.

I sighed and hesitantly followed him up the stairs. He had a point. Nobody ever came up here except for classes, so it was a foolproof way to not be eavesdropped on.

Once we reached the top, he dropped my hand, walking over to the railing to lean over it.

"We're here now," I mumbled. "So are you going to tell me?"

"You cannot tell anyone."

"Why would I tell any-"

"I'm serious, Addison."

"I know," I shot back. "The only people I would tell would be Harry and the others, considering it's about their safety. But they're not here. So I don't have anyone to tell. Now spill."

He looked at me hesitantly for a moment before taking a deep breath. "You have to promise me-"

"Fine, I promise-"

"Stevens can't know."

"She won't. Tell me."

He took another deep, shaky breath. "So you know how my father is... one of them."

"You mean a Death Eater?" I queried.

He nodded. "Well... so that means he, um, knows things."

"Like where Harry is and what's happening to him," I finished for him.

"Yes."

"Why did he tell you, though?"

He shifted uncomfortably, shoving his hands in his pockets aggressively, leaning so his back was against the railing.