Chasing Butterflies {A Draco Malfoy Love Story}

Chapter 19: The Truth Exposed

I finally was able to finish this chapter between all my chemistry homework. I wrote most of this late at night, and while drinking coffee, something I normally don't like the least bit. >.<

Anyhow, after this, there is ONE more chapter in this before I start the sequel. (By the way, if you happen to have some kind of idea for it, feel free to tell me! I could use some. =P)

So without further to do, here is chapter 19! =D

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"I'm willing and waiting to prove the worst of everything you had to say about me." ~You Know How I Do, Taking Back Sunday

            Audrey took a deep breath as her friends stopped in front of her. Krystie, Tyler, and Ally stood before her, all with determined looks upon their faces. Audrey knew that she was about to get drilled in ways she never had been before; she was just hoping she could talk her way out of it.

Krystie cleared her throat. "So what do you have to say for yourself, Audrey? You were a spy for them? This whole time? What the bloody hell?!"

Audrey sighed. "I'm not a Death Eater. And I wasn't a spy for him."

"Then explain to me why you weren't defending us? Tell me why your owl was the one who alerted Voldemort in the first place? Tell me why I heard you and Draco talking about it on the way back from the Owlery?" Krystie went on. "If you weren't one of them, then what are you?"

Audrey found part of that to be a bit odd. "Okay, how did you know it was my owl that sent the message? Were you there when the message was sent?"

"Assuming, since you were up there, and Draco's owl was still there," Krystie said matter-of-factly.

"Like seriously Aud, what is going on?" Tyler entered the conversation. "This isn't like you."

"Nothing is going on!" Audrey insisted.

"Obviously something is!" Ally stepped in.

Before Audrey could say anything about it, Draco stood up, facing his girlfriend's friends. "If you have a problem with what's happened you can take it up with me," he stated. "None of this is her fault."

Krystie stepped towards him. "Uh yea. We have a problem. What kind of brain-washing did you do to her? My best friend would never have joined the Death Eaters willingly."

"Audrey's not a Death Eater. She never joined them. She doesn't have a Mark," Draco defended Audrey. "The only reason she got sucked into it was because she was at dinner with me the night Voldemort sent me back to be his eyes and ears here."

"We already knew you were a Death Eater," Tyler glared. "We don't need that clarified."

Draco rolled up his sleeve, exposing his arm. "Yea, and I'm not ashamed of it. Everyone makes mistakes. I'm not perfect, and I don't pretend to be." He paused for a moment. "I know I made a mistake, and I have learned from it. If you can't accept that, fine. Your opinion of me doesn't matter; I stopped caring about what others thought about me a long time ago."

Audrey stood, putting her arm around his waist, her head resting on his chest. She really was not used to a guy sticking up for her like that. "Draco... it isn't all your fault either. I'm not perfect, and I make mistakes too." She took a deep breath before looking back to her friends. "And if you can't accept the fact that I screwed up, then I guess we weren't meant to be friends."