Eriseds

Chapter 5

Year 7 

Draco

The clack of his boots echoed throughout the empty hall, most students were placed on a strict 9 p.m. curfew and lights were out at 9:15. Draco buttoned the clasp on his left wrist and straightened his shirt. Hours always passed quickly when he was in the potions lab mixing metals and elements, which he had free reign to come and go as he pleased. He left the dining hall after dinner and headed straight for Snape's former classroom. Last year, he spent most of his hours sneaking into the room to steal items before working tirelessly in the Room of Requirement on the vanishing cabinet. Since his utter failure to murder Dumbledore, Draco couldn't bring himself to find the magical room. Often, flashes of blue eyes under half moon glasses would play in his mind as Snape stepped in to do what Draco could never. His nightmares were fueled by this scene as well, Dumbledore's last words, the expected disappointment of Lord Voldemort, and how he let his family fall further into danger and destruction. Sleep wasn't something that came easily, so most of often he would spend sleeping hours working in the lab. Seven hours diminished quickly as it was nearly three in the morning when he returned to the Slytherin dormitory. As he placed his hand on the knob, he heard a clatter of metal hitting the ground. He drew his wand and burst into the room. The fire blazed white hot as it was feverishly being fed textbooks. He watched as the petite figure swayed towards the trunk, which laid haphazardly in the floor, pick up another book and tossed it into the fire. Then he noticed the bottle of absinthe sitting on the coffee table in front of the large stone fireplace. The girl grabbed it, taking a drink straight from the bottle.

"There are quicker ways to kill yourself, if that's what you're trying to do." He closed the door behind him. The figure swayed once again, the bottle of highly concentrated alcohol clutched lazily in the hand closest to the fire.

"Of course you're here. You're ALWAYS here. "She raised the bottle to her mouth, but then lowered it again to speak.

"Dreams of Daddy and Voldy keeping you up at night? Yeah, I heard the rumors about how you cry in your sleep. For a Death Eater, you're a real pussy."

He kept his eyes on the bottle. One wrong move and this entire dungeon would explode. One more sip, and she would probably need her stomach pumped. An inch of the green liquid was missing, from what he could tell, and he had to guess that she had no idea of the powerful effects of such strong alcohol.

"You know how to use that mouth don't you? Though it always surprises me when such dirty words come out of your innocent little body. Give me the bottle before you blow us all up or wake up the other students."

"You don't give a shit about other students."

"Camille, give me the bottle."

Camille Carrow's entire body talked as she spoke. Her brown hair stuck to her angled face as she cocked her head sideways when she cussed him. Her petite frame shook as she swayed. Her uniform was unbuttoned and untucked. The girl in front of him was not the girl he'd known for the last six years. Usually she reminded him of Hermione Grainger, put together, polished, well spoken, rule follower, but tonight she was disheveled and sloppy, but most of all angry. He could tell she had been crying from the streaks down her make up free face. He stretched out his hand and closed the gap between them.

"No!" She cried, stepping back towards the fireplace. She placed one foot behind another and started to fall, the bottle still clutched tightly in her hand. Draco watched as her body started to descend towards the fire, instinctively he reached for her. She was lighter than he anticipated because when he caught her arm and pulled her forward, she landed on his chest, their torsos meeting at eye level. He held her with one arm against him and grabbed the bottle with the other. She writhed, trying to get away, pushing against his chest.