BREATHE -draco malfoy

twenty one.

I need you. My dormitory. Midnight. Password is "serpentem vectem."

Tell no one.

D.

Ana poked her head through the wall that lead to the Slytherin dungeon, looking around the dark common room. There was no one in there, as it was already twelve thirty and the Slytherins had presumably already gone to bed. She tiptoed inside the room cautiously, making the now familiar journey to Draco's dorm.

Ana had gotten the message during potions class that day; the little piece of parchment had been stuck in between two pages of her textbook. It wasn't long after Harry had attacked Draco. She hadn't seen him since, although she had been listening into every conversation between his Slytherin friends that she could, wanting to know more about how he was recovering. She was able to relax a little when she overheard Pansy telling Blaise that Draco would be fine, after just getting back from visiting him in the hospital. Ana wanted desperately to go and see him, but thought it might be a bad idea. But her opportunity had come when he had invited her to stop by his dormitory. Ana was nervous about getting caught going there, as her friends had been staying up late recently to plot and talk about how to win over Slughorn, a mission that Dumbledore had bestowed upon Harry at the beginning of the year. But within the past week, Harry had drank Felix Felices, drawn the sought-after memory out of Slughorn's brain, and brought it to Dumbledore. And tonight, Harry was accompanying Dumbledore on a secret mission, one that Harry had not told Ana much about. Hermione was practically in a fit about it, pacing up and down their shared dormitory, worrying about what could happen to them.

"He's with Dumbledore," Ana had said to comfort her, trying to ignore the flame of worry that was currently burning in her own chest. Harry had told them very little about this quest, but they all three had known that it would be dangerous. Harry had left right before nightfall, and he apparently hadn't yet returned when Ana crept out of Gryffindor tower and made her way to the Slytherin dungeon. She had thought long and hard all day about whether or not to make an appearance in Draco's room. But after watching him almost bleed out on the floor of their most sacred meeting place, she couldn't resist. She was, more than anything, wanting to verify for herself that he was okay. Even though Draco had just recently told her to stay away and that he was disappearing from her all over again, Draco had outright said that he needed her, and she was not about to say no to such a blatant admittance.

Ana ignored all negative thoughts as she rushed through the door to Draco's dorm, slipped inside, and closed the door gently. When she turned around, he was sitting on the side of his bed, watching her. Ana didn't even stop to wonder where Draco's roommates had gone. He had that look on his face, the same look he had when they had met in Knockturn Alley right before the start of the year. He was hardened, putting up a shell to push her out. It was written all over his eyes, but Ana knew better by now.

"I thought you wanted me to stay away from you. Why have you asked me here?" Ana asked gently, letting her eyes pass cautiously over him. "You're supposed to be in the hospital, Draco." Her voice came out stern but when she had stepped closer to Draco and gotten a closer look, Ana noticed the strained expression on his pale face. She traced her eye over his features: the lines of his mouth, his jaw, his eyebrows, the dark circles under his silver eyes. She walked over to him and sat down on his bed, turning towards him. He didn't face her; he just sat, staring at his knees. But he spoke, his voice sounding uncharacteristically small, the content of his words harsh.

"You need to leave," Draco said. He paused then, finally lifting his eyes to hers. He was pleading with her, something that usually made Ana do whatever he asked. But not this time.

"You asked me here," Ana said, furrowing her brow in confusion. Was he again going to tell her that it was a mistake to ask her to come see him? Another moment of weakness?