(1) 𝐍𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄 | d. m

Chapter thirteen

I hadn't given much thought to how I would mend my relationship with Draco, if it was even possible. Instead, my head was filled with moving pictures of him, and how his sad eyes looked into mine as I confronted him about the necklace. I had come to realise just how much he had changed since the first time I met him, that day in potions class. How he had filled my head with thoughts of anger but also of curiosity and passion. How he made me think about life in a different way and how he would sometimes make me so mad that my blood would boil.

I don't think I could ever have guessed how broken up he would be about it all. How broken up I would be about seeing him hurt. I guess the narcissistic daddy's boy was growing on me.

In my blinding haze of worrying about Draco, — I didn't see just how bad things were — and they were only going to get worse...

***

It was around Halloween, when I found out something that would change the course of my life forever. I wasn't expecting it at all, but the news made the jigsaw pieces fit perfectly into place. I was sitting by the crackling fire in the Ravenclaw common room, reading up on some spells. Milo was lying by my feet, purring as usual. How on earth I had ever managed to live the first six years my life without him, I couldn't understand. Outside, the October rain was violently coming down, making irregular beats upon the window panes. It was cold, but nothing I couldn't manage.

The rain. I had always loved it. The sound it would make against the window of the Hogwarts Express, the colours painted above in the sky, and the smell of the pavement after its come down. The common room was safe from the storm coming down outside, but a part of me wanted to experience Hogwarts in the rain.

They say, 'be careful what you wish for'...

I was just starting to become tired and restless, which wasn't really like me at all, when I decided to go find Draco again. I wanted to apologise for blaming him for the loss of my necklace. I had come to the sudden realisation that I had probably just misplaced it somewhere, and that I should never have rushed to accuse him of stealing it, no matter how badly I wanted to believe that I hadn't lost it. It only made matters worse, when I found out that a similar necklace had been used to curse Katie Bell. I guess you could say — I grew more worried by the second. I got up from the sofa, tried not to upset Milo as I left the dormitories. Fortunately, I managed to sneak out, leaving him by the fire, still purring in his sleep. As I walked through what felt like endless hallways, I heard a voice. It wasn't Draco's, but I recognised it.

"I know what you did, Malfoy. You hexed her, didn't you?". There was a long silence then he spoke yet again: "I know what you are. I know what you're whole family is. Death Eaters, all of you".

The voice belonged to no other than Harry Potter.

It was late at night, and I couldn't see a thing, coming down the hallway. Still, I followed the voice, anxiously awaiting whatever was going to happen next. In hindsight, I wish I had done things differently.

The boys bathroom on the sixth floor was dark and gloomy. The floor was covered in water, as if someone had put on all the facets at once and left them draining. I hid behind one of the stalls as I tried to listen in on the conversation between Harry and Draco.

Draco, who was standing by one of the mirrors, looked roughed up, the colour drained from his face, and his eyes blank from crying. He seemed anxious, worried, sad even. I wanted nothing more than to make myself known, walk right up to him, and put my arms around his body — but I didn't. Instead, I just stood there, fixating my eyes on the two boys from behind the glass. At first, I almost thought that Harry would talk to Draco and ask about his well-being, because he seemed to be anything but carefree. However, that was far from what happened.

They were now facing each other, one more confident than the other. Harry held a firm grip around his wand, and Draco, with his flooded eyes, was shivering uncontrollably. I wasn't ready for what would happen next, and frankly, I don't think Draco was either. The sudden sound of curses being cast around the room, made my blood run cold, but I was too afraid and taken aback to do anything. All I could think about was the question Harry had asked Draco as I crept silently into the room.

You hexed her, didn't you? The words echoed like stones being thrown down a well and I was all to confused to function normally. What did he mean? Did Draco have anything to do with Katie Bell being cursed?

Oh. My. GOD. The realisation hit me like an atom blast. Draco DID steal my necklace, and he used it to curse someone. I couldn't believe what I had just heard, and maybe I was too blinded by Draco's mesmerising eyes to see that he was actually responsible for someone getting badly hurt. I leaned against the door to the stall, trying to confront my own feelings. Just as I thought I was about to faint, I heard another curse being thrown. Only — this time it was different.

"Sectumsempra!".

The spell seemed to hit something really hard, as it caused a massive thump to be heard. The thunder outside couldn't even begin to drown out the sound of someone in terrible pain. As if that wasn't all. I stood with my body facing the door to the bathroom, when the water on the floor suddenly changed colour. It was now a dark shade of red, making me question my own sanity. I hoped that I was just having a terrible nightmare. That I would surely wake up soon.

I didn't wake up. Instead, I found myself coming out of hiding, tugging at my sleeves in desperation. I wanted nothing more than to erase myself from this scene.

Harry was holding his wand firmly, but staring at the bloodied floor, not moving an inch. I walked past him, to see what had happened.

That's when I fell to the floor.

Draco was lying on the floor, in a pool of his own blood. It was sipping out of him like nothing I had ever seen before in my life, and I didn't know what to do. I started to shiver, the hairs on my back raising and my eyes beginning to flood just like the floor had. My body was arched over Draco's, as I tried to find any signs that he was still breathing.

I have to do something. I could never forgive myself if he-

Somehow, I managed to interrupt my own thoughts and reached for his wand, that was lying a few inches from his body. As I held it in my hand, I realised that I did know what to do. I just wasn't entirely sure that it would work. What if it was too late already?

"Vulnera Sanentur".

The words of the incantation rolled off my tongue like a song I had known all my life but slowly forgotten about. As his blood-soaked shirt began to turn into its original white colour, I found myself feeling calm again. Maybe he would be okay, maybe he wasn't dying.

Maybe I could learn to breathe again.

***