NATALIA [Draco Malfoy Fanfiction]

Seventeen | Quite the Predicament

Life continued on while Malfoy was in the hospital, which felt weird, because I wasn't quite sure why I had expected otherwise.

His father got out of jail, something we all found out one day when reading the daily prophet, and something Draco found out when he received his daily letter from his mom. Or so I was told, I hadn't gone to see him.

Snow continued to fall until we needed a melting charm to get to care of magical creatures, and with Christmas fast approaching I get a letter from Andromeda, inviting me back to the cottage.

I was happy, or at least, I should've been. I was going to spend the holiday's at the Tonk's residence, I passed my winter exams, and Snape was satisfied with my progress. I was now able to successfully resist his Legilimency, even if I wasn't expecting it, and as a result, he agreed to start teaching me more than defence. Given that I was technically an heir to Slytherin, becoming a Legilimens was something that I should be good at, especially now after I learn't Occulamency so fast (and only with small amounts of blood, sweat, and tears).

It was clear I was determined, and so Snape felt the need to keep working.

So, it was good, and I was doing good. But, I wasn't. I wasn't because I couldn't stop thinking about stupid fucking Draco and how he was feeling, or what had happened after the night we had spent together.

We had agreed that space might be the best option for us, at least while he's bedridden and physically unable to attend classes with me. We should take this moment, and use it to our advantage, or at least, that's what Draco believes.

It had given me a lot of time to think.... Like, a lot of time. I pretended it didn't bother me, after all, it was probably for the best that we take a step back to process everything, the only problem was that I didn't like what I found buried beneath the surface. I pretended it didn't bother me, and tried to focus on the good that the end of the year had given me, yet, he lingered in the back of my mind; consuming every passing thought.

Bits of him started to appear wherever I went, reminding me that I was meant to be avoiding him, that I was supposed to be thinking about the consequences of what I wanted. There was no reason for me to suddenly want him so badly, and yet no amount of reason seemed to be able to stop me.

Like, to the point where I was impartial to the idea that starting something with him could get us both killed, and that was concerning. That was what I found, despite my worst efforts to not let a silly passion cloud my judgement. So, I caved on the last day of school, and went to see him.

The hospital wing was quiet, as no one else was in there but him. He was facing the wall, staring off blankly into space when I approached, only turning his head when he heard my quiet footsteps. Instantly, a conflicted look flashes across his face, leaning back to take me in without saying a word.

"I can handle myself," I told him, speaking so suddenly that his eyes actually widen slightly as he tries to figure out what I had just said.

"What happens when I have to start taking the potion again?" He finally responded.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," I assured him, "along with all the other bridges that will eventually have to be crossed." He appears unconvinced, slowly crossing his arms and looking at me like I was some naive little girl. "Draco, I want this," I added, "even with the risk. I know this about myself, do you?"

"We'd be idiots for trying."

"We're idiots for thinking we won't stop until we've seen it for ourselves," I continued off of him, "no matter the consequences. Isn't that what you found after trying to hate me?"