𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍

❃ she doesn't love me

Maybelle determined her answer.

"Sure."

She returned to hugging herself as Ginny sat across from her.

"I'm surprised you'd even want to sit with me," May mumbled into her knees.

"I know you didn't want any of this. I apologize for blaming you," she answered quietly.

"You know, I've been in need of a friend not in Slytherin right about now," Maybelle chuckled to herself, absentmindedly drawing circles over the invisible bruises on her wrist.

"Well, I'm here if you need anything."

The rest of the ride was silent.

Ginny and her walked to the wagons, her friends nowhere to be found.

Neville and Luna looked skeptical as the Slytherin girl boarded with them, but Ginny shook their head as to tell them not to ask any questions.

"You're traumatized," Luna suddenly exclaimed. "I can see it in your eyes. The rest of you is quite composed," she spoke softly. "I'm sorry about what he did," Luna whispered, so quietly only she could hear.

Maybelle nodded.

When she arrived at her dormitory, she overheard talking down the hall. Her ear pressed to Blaise's door.

"What exactly did you say to her?" Theo spoke.

"I told her to shut up. I didn't mean it, but I'd just bloody tortured three people, one of them being a four year old girl and I was pissed, and scared, and-fuck," Draco muttered.

"All you have to do is apologize. She seems really shaken up, mate," Blaise exclaimed.

"I don't know. I keep hurting her over and over again. Maybe it's best if I'm not with her anymore."

She knew his words should've felt like a stab to the heart, but everything felt blank. She felt numb; deadened.

She'd stolen a few sleeping and calming draughts from Mulciber's supply before leaving. She downed another calming draught before getting into the shower, the water scalding her skin as the bruises began to reappear, her charm wearing off. She scrubbed at her skin, trying to rid the feeling of his hands all over her body.

She could still feel him between her legs.

Mulciber should've taught her bruise healing paste.

Her skin was burned red by the time she'd exited the shower. She couldn't quite feel the pain of the dark mark anymore; if anything she enjoyed it. She relished in the feeling of the ink bubbling beneath her skin. It was her high.

She was asleep by the time Daph, Naevah and Pansy returned to their dormitory.

"Should we ask her about it?" Pansy sat on her bed, hugging her pillow.

"Let her sleep. She needs it."

For the next week she sat with Ginny, Luna and Neville at lunch.

Everyone had approached her except Draco; she simply told them she felt uncomfortable being around him at the moment. They believed her.

The bruises had barely faded.

Draco was struggling without her. "I don't love her anymore," he tried to convince himself. "She's scared of me now. I make her uncomfortable. Why try to speak to her if I'm going to make her feel that way?"

His stomach dropped at the idea of anyone else having her. He was absolutely terrified.

He had missed her, every day for the past week and a half. She couldn't even imagine how pathetic it made him feel; he didn't even know if she missed him back.