After Tonight

Chapter 6: We Could be Free

Draco spent over ten minutes in the lavatory, scrubbing at his forearm and hands, trying to wash away the stain of Cho's blood from his skin. He knew her sobbing screams would stay with him for the rest of his days, the fear in her eyes had pierced straight through him. He felt hollow, like he could be knocked over by the slightest of movements. If he strained his hearing, he could hear Theo shuffling outside the bathroom door, no doubt waiting for him.

Probably with concern. Draco shook his head.

He glanced down at his scarred wrists; the skin healed but stained in thin lines. Pulling his sleeves back down, he cleared his throat.

"Come in here, Theo." He said, keeping his voice low, and watched as Theo entered the bathroom, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Theo closed the lid to the toilet and sat down on it, leaning his chin against his hands. "Spit it out, mate."

"I want to see her." Draco whispered, fearing that Theo would laugh at how purely insane his request sounded. "And my mother. I'd like to see her as well." Theo nodded slowly, processing his words, and Draco knew how badly this could end.

It could get them killed if their fathers found out they weren't taking the Spawning.

That they didn't support it.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this." Draco murmured, putting his hands in his hair, tugging at the roots slightly.

"Me either," Theo replied, scratching his chin. "then again, do we have a choice?"

Draco shrugged. "I have to try Theo. I can't...I can't keep doing this. I went to school with these people. They're my classmates, my fr-"

Friends.

He stopped short before he said the words, swallowing thickly. They weren't his friends. He had barely spoken to Cho, and he'd never really been friendly with any of the Weasleys. He could not remember the last time he'd really looked at Penelope, aside from being partnered in Herbology one time during 4th year.

"I don't like it either, but if we do this, we can't ever come back." Theo said, peering at Draco with his head to the side. His eyes grew wide suddenly, and he chewed his lip.

"What?" Draco asked, staring at someone he did consider a friend, even though he'd never tell him.

"What if...we did a patrol." Theo said, as if he wasn't talking to Draco, and started to nod his head. "Come again?" Draco scoffed. Patrols oversaw retrieving the 'special ingredients' and dragging them back to Malfoy Manor, before anyone was the wiser.

"What if we went on a patrol but instead of kidnapping, we set them free?" Theo said, his tone hushed, and he stood up quickly. "We could join the resistance, and help get them to America?"

"Why America?" Draco questioned, but his heartbeat had begun to race at the thought. Theo shrugged, and replied, "There's no Spawning there, far as I know."

Draco stilled for a moment, letting the idea swish around in his head like water lapping up on a beach.

"We could be free." He murmured, meeting Theo's eyes. Theo grinned.

"I've already suggested the idea to Pansy, she wants out too. We could be free."

March 15th, 1997

He decided her teeth were not that large after all, and they did in fact, fit her face. He sat across from her in the library, ink pads in front of them, as he watched Hermione furiously scribbling notes on why Ovomancy was a more accurate act of divination than Palmistry.

"I doubt Trelawny will agree with you." Draco said firmly and watched as her curls bounced as she shot him a glare.

"I really don't care if she doesn't." Hermione sniffed, dapping her quill. "As long as I pass the class, I will be free of her. That day can't come soon enough." Draco grinned, and tried to focus his attention back on the book before him, but he found it quite difficult when she was looking like that. So determined. Her cheeks were flushed, and her nose was scrunched as she wrote away.

"One day Granger, you'll hardly remember what she looked like." Draco mussed. "You'll forget everyone you've ever had to deal with here. All the whisperers and bullshit and Golden Trio stuff, it won't matter. You'll be too busy living your life to remember those unnecessary folks." Hermione looked at him, and he fell quiet under her gaze.

"You've changed since we met on the train." She said matter of fact like, and he laughed nervously, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb. "I was a bit of a git, wasn't I?" he replied, and her eyebrows shot up as she nodded quickly.

"Very much so!" she exclaimed, and her eyes softened as she said, "I like you better now." Draco shifted uncomfortably.

"We aren't friends, Granger." He said stiffly, creating blocks in his head.

Put up the walls, keep her out.

You're no good for her.

He watched as she nodded, and resumed her note taking. "Perhaps we are not," She breathed, and she stared down at her paper as she continued. "But I won't forget you when I leave here."

Draco held his breath, and turned to look out the window, away from her, and watched as a hawk flew freely over the lake.