The Boy Who Had a Choice (D.M)

Part 32

~ Olivia's POV ~

I couldn't keep my focus on what everyone was saying as we set out our battle plan, I was too worried about Draco. I had this horrible feeling in my gut that something was wrong. I glanced sideways at Neville who was staring at me with a confused look on his face.

"What?" I asked.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know," I replied, and he nodded.

"I know what you're thinking. Go do what you need to do Olive, we've got this for now."

"Are you sure?" I swallowed hard, looking around the group as they all spoke between themselves. Lola's face was scrunched up in her concentration face as she was talking quickly to Seamus, I could tell she was trying to hide her anxiousness by the big hand gestures she was using. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if anything happened to them.

"Just come back as soon as you can."

"I will. Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as we'll ever be"

"Look after Rory for me?" I asked quietly.

"I will" he promised. I didn't let myself look back as I turned into my Animagus wolf form and ran off, following Draco's scent.

~

Being a wolf was a weird feeling that I still hadn't gotten used to yet. Everything was the same but slightly different, my hearing, sight and smell were so much better, but I felt vulnerable not being able to use my magic to protect myself. The world was duller too, I barely felt emotions and the colours were a lot less bright. It was a relief sometimes, to be able to escape into this form when things just got too much.

I followed Draco's scent outside to the courtyard, climbing through the piles of rubble and broken stone that lied everywhere until I spotted him lied unconscious on the floor, Blaise coughing his guts up behind him. My nose nudged at his arm as I tried to wake him up, but his eyes stayed closed. I panicked, struggling to get through to him as I could only cry in my wolf form, not able to call his name. I sighed in relief as his eyes finally snapped open, softening when he figured out who I was.

Back in human form I helped him sit up while he explained what had happened to the pair of them both. His eyes darkened as he told me about Goyle, I could feel him shutting off from me again, but I was hurting too much myself to know what to say to him.

"I need to go" he announced as he stood up. I gripped onto his arm, a silent plead for him not to go, I couldn't do this again. "I'm not leaving, I just need to do something. I promise I'm coming back." He leant down and kissed me lightly on the forehead before walking to the edge of the courtyard and apparating away. I was left, mouth slightly gaped as I'd just watched the boy, I love walk away from me once again, most likely into some horrible danger that I might not be able to save him from this time.

~

I made it halfway back to the Great Hall when I bumped into McGonagall and my friends walking towards the entrance of the school.

"What's going on?" I asked, running slightly to keep up with them.

"Let me get this straight professor" Neville said to McGonagall, completely ignoring me. "You're actually giving us permission to do this?"

"That is correct Longbottom" she responded.

"To blow it up. Boom?"

"Boom."