Constellations

Chapter 23

Madam Pomfrey assured me that Al was going to be fine. She had mended his broken leg, cleaned up his face and head wounds and given him a potion for his concussion. He hadn't woken up during the entire ordeal and Madam Pomfrey wanted to keep him overnight for observation. I, of course, refused to leave his side and Madam Pomfrey gave up trying to ask me to leave.

Once she had gone off to bed, I crawled into bed next to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his torso. Albus and I spent way too much time in this place. At least this time it was because of an accident and not because someone was out to get us. Except, what people were saying stuck with me. Even Rose and Anna were saying that the bludger was going for Albus specifically. It could have been someone on the Hufflepuff team in the aim of winning the game. It would make sense for someone to go after Albus if they wanted to win the game since he was the Seeker. Not everything had to be a plot against us. Though, at this point, I find that hard to believe.

****

I woke up next to Al who was still sleeping beside me. It was early, judging by the low light filtering through the window I would guess five or six in the morning. I sat up and noticed a note lying on the nightstand. It had my name written on the front. I looked around the room but I didn't see anyone. I opened it.

Accidents will happen to those closest to you. Give him up or the next accident will be more permanent.

I stared at the words, not wanting to believe what I had already figured out. The supposed stray bludger was anything but that. And of course, whoever did this was targeting me. Which means that whoever this was probably the one that Turned me. All for something my parents did. Though, at this point, it would be more likely the result of something I did. I can't think of anything I've done that would prompt someone to go through all this trouble to hurt me.

It seems that there was a lot of bad karma on the Malfoy name that Al seems to be paying the price for. Why they were targeting Albus, I don't know. To torture me? Was he a threat? Either way, it didn't matter. The result was the same. Even if it broke my heart, I knew what I had to do.

I had to break up with Albus.

****

I stayed until Albus woke up. I didn't have the heart to leave and have him think that I hadn't stayed for him. But I left after I explained to him what had happened and went to get ready. I could barely look at him, knowing that I was going to have to break his heart. I could tell my parents or a professor. McGonagall was already aware of the threat against me and she might be able to help. Talking about this with anyone, however, could cause the person to seriously hurt Albus. I couldn't put Al's life in danger just because I didn't want to break up with him. It was idiotic and selfish.

What I had to figure out, was how I was going to make the break up convincing for everyone. Our relationship had become the talk of the school and even if one person didn't believe me then rumors would spread that would lead to Al getting hurt anyway. My friends were going to be the hardest to fool. When we dated in secret, they had suspected something. We were all too close to be easily be tricked by the other.

I had to make it a gradual change. Pull back from Albus, get snippier with him and make it seem like we're going through a rough patch. Then when we break up, it will make more sense to everyone closest to us. Doing this after he had just gone through an accident seems cruel but it wasn't as if I had a choice.