The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

66. Regret

"What do you mean?" Dioleh asked.

"Well, anyone with a brain could see that he fancies you and has since at least third year, probably longer," Andre said. With a smile, he corrected, "Well, everyone apart from you, that is."

"What?" Dioleh said, her brows raised.

Andre let out a chuckle before replying, "He's pretty obvious about it, to be honest."

"How?" Dioleh asked.

"Hum, let's think," Andre said in a patronizing tone with a teasing smile. "He only really smiles when you're around, he blushes all the time. Anything else? Oh yeah, he ditched three of his closest mates because of you."

"Because of me?" Dioleh said indignantly. "I didn't tell him to. I just said-"

"Fine, for you, then," Andre corrected, waving his hand dismissively. "The point is, he ditched them for you because he thought it would give him more of a chance to be around you and it worked."

"Andre, is Draco a bad person?" she asked quietly.

Frowning, he replied, "Why ask me? You've never cared what people think about him before."

"I just...I can't tell if I'm just being stupid," Dioleh explained. "I know he's flawed. No one can deny that, but...is he a bad person, Andre?"

Andre sighed, thinking about it for a long time before he replied, "I don't know, Dioleh. I think he does really care about you. I don't think he'd hurt you on purpose, but..."

"What, Andre?"

He sighed again before admitting, "If he doesn't make the right choice in the end, I don't want to know what's going to happen to you. I don't think he'd hurt you on purpose, but he would be a Death Eater, Dioleh. Could you handle that?"

"I don't know," Dioleh said. After a long pause, she admitted, "I'm scared for him."

"It makes sense," Andre replied quietly. "I would be too."

"Everything in me is telling me I need to get away from him, but..."

"You can't?" Andre finished for her.

"I can't help it, Andre," Dioleh explained. "We've been friends for so long. I remember the things he's said to Hermione and to other people I care about and I hate him but then I remember the side of him he doesn't let anyone else see. I remember the guy who's so nerdy he hides books from his parents and not whatever teenage boys are normally hiding. I remember the guy who recited almost an entire scene from a book he'd read once. I remember the person I've sat up with on late nights and worked on homework with. I remember our teasing conversations. He's not what people think he is."

"You know what I think the problem is?" Andre asked.

"What?"

With a small smile, Andre said, "Dio, I've known you for four years now and in those years I've learned two things about you. First, you are the most kindhearted person I have ever known. You can't hate Draco. You're incapable of it. If you can see humanity and hurt in someone, you can't hate them. I bet you right now that if you found out Voldemort had a tragic backstory, you wouldn't be able to hate him anymore." Dioleh sighed, not bothering to argue with the irrefutable fact. "Second, not only are you incapable of hate, but you have this habit of never letting people like that go."

"And now it looks like it could hurt me," Dioleh said regretfully.

"Loyalty is not a bad thing, Dio," Andre said. "Just...make sure you're holding onto the right people."

"I feel like if I let him go I'll just be driving him towards Voldemort and I feel...guilty."

"Of what?" Andre asked, brows furrowed.

"I-" she began before remembering their decision not to tell anyone. "I can't tell you." Andre frowned. "But, this is exactly my point, I'm having to lie to you."

"Dioleh, if he's making you lie for him then he's not worth it," Andre stated.

"He's not making me," Dioleh snapped. "We decided together, but...I feel like I need to talk about it."

"Then tell me," Andre replied. "I won't tell anyone, not even Imani."

She sighed, not looking at him before she explained, "We...we kissed." Andre's eyes widened.

"Merlin," he muttered with a small laugh. "And?"

"What do you mean and?" Dioleh said irritably. "I'm lying. I'm lying to Imani, to Hermione, even to Harry and Ron. I hate this! It makes me feel sick to my stomach."

"Then tell him you don't want to be with him until you can out in the open," Andre replied.

"You know they won't accept him," Dioleh countered. "Hermione and Imani maybe, but not Harry and Ron. Can you honestly say you would be okay with me dating him?"

"It doesn't matter if I'm okay with it or any of the others," Andre replied instantly. "It's your life. You're entitled to make your own choices and make as many good or bad decisions as you want."

"And what if I ask your honest opinion?" Dioleh countered with a raised brow.

"Then I would tell you that..." Andre broke off, gathering his thoughts. Finally letting out a sigh, he admitted, "I would tell you that you dating him will either go really well or really badly. On one hand, your influence over him could keep him from joining the Death Eaters, but on the other hand, if it isn't enough, you could get hurt."

"I know," Dioleh sighed.

"Listen, Dioleh. I won't make your decision for you, but I will say that if you're feeling this guilty about a single kiss-"

"Three," she corrected bitterly.

Smirking, Andre corrected, "Three kisses then, how do you think you'll feel while dating him in secret? You said you feel sick to your stomach. I don't want to see how much worse you'll feel during the year. So whatever you do, I wouldn't do it in secret."

"Okay," Dioleh agreed. "Thanks, Andre."

"Of course," Andre replied with a smile. "What're friends for?"