The Misfits {Draco Malfoy} - on hold again, sorry!

9. Needle in a Haystack

(THEDA'S P.O.V)

"A needle in a haystack. That's what it is," Clare declares moodily, vigorously stirring her pumpkin juice with the end of her fork.

"What is?" Lila asks, leaning over from the Ravenclaw table, a large white flower pinned prettily into her hair.

Clare gives a dramatic gesture.

"Finding a good man. Like finding a needle in a haystack."

I half-mindedly agree with her, but Lila raises her eyebrow in disagreement.

"Oh, I don't think so," she replies airily. "I've known a lot of nice boys."

"They're always nice when you first meet them," Clare retorts. "You're trouble is you hang around with everyone."

It dosen't take Einstein to see that Clare is in a bad mood; she has been ever since I told her about her trip up the astronomy tower last night – though I didn't tell her the truth about how she got back down again.

If I close my eyes I can still and feel the soft touch of his lips against mine... but then I just want to scream, my insides feel like their being streched and I think I might throw up. Malfoy's a death eater. His father killed Jake's parents.

Everyone agrees on one thing: Malfoy's bad.

"Here they come."

Breaking away from my thoughts, I look up and see the usual flock of owls swooping over the Gryffindor table. Ever since Aunt Edyth sent me that photograph, I have promptly been ignoring all her letters, not that there are many. When a letter drops directly into my lap, I stare down at the bold handwriting on the envelope which simply says 'Whitlock'.

I look around to see no-one's watching before I rip it open; the note is short but to the point.

'Room of Requirement, midnight. Be there.'

***

I don't know how I managed to get through through lessons. They seem to go on forever and the work is so incredibly boring (that's one thing I never thought I would say about magic). Malfoy wasn't in any of them today and as the day went on I find myself longing for midnight.

I keep on telling myself that's crazy – I've only met him a few times and I don't think he's ever said a civil word to me, but... why did he kiss me? Why did he practically bolt out afterwards without a word?

I shake myself, realizing that at last it's coming up to midnight. I pull on a black sweater and tiptoe through the darkness until I find my shoes.

"Wish me luck," I murmer to no-one for no particular reason, staring into the blackness.

***

It takes me less than a few minutes to reach the room of requirement, but I feel my heart racing as the door suddenly appears before me as if... well, by magic.

I pause a second before I enter, running over in my mind what to say. 'Hi Malfoy'? 'Why did you ask me to come here'? 'Last night – it never happened'?

I know I'm just putting off going in, so taking a deep breath, I push the door open and go inside. For once it seems light in here, and I instantly look around for the blonde head I came to meet.

It takes me a second to find him, and when I do, I feel my heart sinking. He's standing with his back to me and is making no move to face me.

"Malfoy?" I say cautiously, taking a slow step forward.

"I never want you to come near me again, Whitlock," he says, his voice hard and cold which hits me like a slap in the face.

I don't know what to say. My mouth seems to have gone very dry as the words echo through the high ceiling.

"Ok," I force out.

"Never again. Understand?"

"S-sure. I understand," I reply quietly. Suddenly, I realize that tears are pricking the back of my eyes. I'm crying – why am I crying?

Closing my eyes, I feel a large tear rolling down my cheek and I try to enter his mind. But he's blocked me out... again.

We're standing in an awkward silence now, as if waiting for something to happen – like the world ending, or one of us falling down dead.

For no reason I suddenly feel exasperated.

"Tell me what you want me to say!"

He slowly turns, and for the first time looks at me, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Wha–" he starts, but then I catch his eye. This time I don't try to look in; I just plead.

"Why did you curse Katie Bell?" I almost whisper. "It was you, wasn't it?" He looks guiltily down at the ground but I persist with my questions. "Why? Why did you do it?"

"I had to," he rolls up his left sleeve in a silent explanation. The Dark Mark seems even bolder than before, and I feel the blood draining from my face. That thing seems to emanate evil like heat from a radiator.

I suddenly feel very ignorant – all I know about 'You-Know-Who' is what Ron and Lila told me months ago: 'he's a very dark wizard'. But what are 'dark wizards'? As far as I can guess it's a sort of wizarding version of the Mafia. Is that stupid? But one thing I do know – the Mafia, wizarding or not is not a good thing to get mixed up with – and Malfoy was obviously in it up to his neck.

"Is there... can I... help you?"

Malfoy snorts and shakes his head.

"You can't help me," he scoffs. "No one can. I have to do this on my own!"

"What?"

There's a pause.

"Kill Dumbledore," he whispers.

Sorry this chapter isn't very long, but I feel so guilty that I haven't updated for ages!