The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 50

Draco's POV

       Once I got Alexis back to the school I took her straight to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey asked a lot of questions but when I refused to answer any of them she eventually gave up and helped.

        I do feel bad not being able to tell her what really happened but I'm not even sure what I would say.

        It's been a little over a week since everything happened at the manor. My mother hasn't tried to contact me and no snatchers have come to take Alexis, thankfully. As soon as she stepped in front of that knife my first thought was,

                         you've just got yourself killed.

         But because my mother is close with my aunt, she probably managed to get Bellatrix to keep quiet about the incident.

         Alexis hasn't really said much about it either. I think seeing her dad right before we left kind of made everything more surreal. They haven't been as close as they were in the past but she really does love him.

            And lately all the both of us have done is bring him more frustration.

      When he arrived back at the school later that evening he approached me the same as always.

       All he did was ask where his daughter was and of course I told him. I also tried to apologize for everything but he vanished before I could do so.

      I waited a while but felt nosey and decided to follow him to the wing to see how Alexis was doing.

       I felt relieved when I saw that she had finally fallen asleep because lately she hasn't done that much. Snape's back was to me and he was standing over her quietly.

         The longer I listened though, I started to hear him trying to conceal his sobs.

                       "How's life been treating you?"

         I snap back to present time and look up at the person hovering.

                     "Do you actually care, Zabini?"

             He scoffs. "Why else would I be asking?"

        When I don't answer he pulls out a chair beside me and sits down.

                  "I'm serious though, what's been going on?"

                     I lean back in my seat and cross my arms.

                          "I don't know what you mean."

          Blaise rolls his eyes and chuckles to himself once again, then starts to go quiet. He looks around the common room, making sure no one else is around.

         "I went and checked on Lex a few days ago and the wound was really bad," He tells me. "The last time I saw her was when you two left for the manor. Did something happen-"

            "Why are you suddenly acting like you care so much?" I snap.

          He moves back slightly when I raise my voice but doesn't give up. "Malfoy, you don't have to act tough all of the time. We've been friends for years, if you need help with something-"

            I interrupt him for the second time. "I don't need your help and neither does Alexis. Everything is fine."

         Blaise's facial expressions look disappointed but I could care less. We have been friends for quite some time but that doesn't mean I owe him anything.

       He starts to say something but when the door to the common room opens he gets distracted and we both look up.

Alexis' POV

          Being in the hospital wing brings me back to the time when Draco was in my place 6th year. I had no idea what the future was going to bring then, but it was the first time I realized how serious this all is. 

          Even though I was pierced in the stomach, I didn't feel much pain at all. Maybe it was because of shock but I'd like to think it means I'm strong.

         It's been a little over a week. I'm fully healed for the most part but Madam Pomfrey has been weird about letting me go anywhere.

        Luckily, she got called to the Quidditch field and left me all alone.

           I wait a few minutes to make sure she's far away then hop out of my bed and put on some decent clothes. Draco left a pair of trousers and one of his jumpers for me because my other clothes are stained with blood.

           Once I'm dressed I slip on my shoes and exit the wing carefully. Looking both ways I see that there's not a single person in the hallways.

         I don't know the exact time right now but I assume everyone's in class. I highly doubt Draco is, though.

            When I arrive at the entrance of the common room I slowly open the door in hopes of not disrupting anyone inside. But the second I enter I see two faces turn my way.

       Draco's eyes connect with mine and I feel myself start to smile. I wait for him to do the same but he just stares at me blankly.

        Blaise decides to get up from the table and leave the room, but before he does he comes up to me.

                           "Are you feeling better?" He asks.

                                  I nod. "Thank you."

       He smiles, then exits the common room and leaves Draco and I alone.

        I turn back to Draco, who is now staring off into space, and head in his direction. I take a seat beside him at one of the tables and wait for him to notice me but he stays lost in his thoughts.

                        "Hey." I say softly while placing my hand on his leg.

           He blinks a few times but then looks at me confused.

                            "Is everything alright?"

              Draco breaks contact and looks down at my hand on his thigh. He places his on top and rubs the ring on my finger gently.

                       "Things are only going to get worse from here." He mutters.

             "You don't know that," I respond. "We got everyone out of the cellar and-"

           "Do you hear yourself?" Draco blurts out. "You got stabbed, nearly bled to death, and you act like everything went perfectly!"

        I pull my hand away from his leg and instantly he looks down, upset. I wait for him to apologize for raising his voice but he doesn't.

           "I know it didn't go perfectly, but it didn't go bad." I say under my breath.

          Draco lets out a heavy sigh and runs his hand through his hair. By the way he huffs I assume he's irritated with me, but when he looks down I see a tear fall onto the floor and realize that he's just scared.

               He wipes his face, then looks up at me.

                        "What if one of us doesn't make it out of this alive?"

       While staring into his eyes that are covered in a glass like shield, I try to think of something that I could say that would soothe his mind.

         But he can tell by the look on my face that I have the same fear.