Whisper → Draco Malfoy

CHAPTER NINE

"Blaise!" Daphne hit him lightly.

"You are disgusting."  Elise felt the words tumble from her lips, "that girl is dying, and you are making jokes."

"She's dying?" Draco spoke quietly, tugging at his sleeves. He slid closer to Elise, "is she really," he whispered to her, "is she dying?"

"Draco shut up you wuss... serves her right if she does, she's a stinking half-blood." Scoffed Pansy, twirling her fork around her plate, "makes me feel sick just thinking about it."

"Oh shut up Pansy. Dumbledore's a half-blood, most witches and wizards are."

"As if that makes it any better..."

"Most people in this bloody school are half-bloods." Daphne pointed at the students scattered around the hall.

"As if I care? I wish the Basilisk had done a better job all those years ago. So many stupid mudbloods are still alive in this school."

"Shut up!" Draco yelled at the bickering pair. "Is she dead? Is Katie dead?"

"I don't know, or care." Pansy returned to her meal, "everyone is so worked up today."

"Well if someone's dead, I would say its fine to be worked up," nodded Theo, "otherwise, if she isn't dead,  I am not wasting my time."

"Shut up all of you!" Draco smashed his hands against the table. "For once, just shut up." Pocketing a bread roll, Draco scoffed at his friends and made his way out of the Great Hall with haste.

"Merlin," Theo laughed, "what's with him today?"

"What's been with him all year?"

Pansy shook her head, "shut up Daphne. It's not your place."

Around her, Elise watched as the rest of the Slytherin's nodded in agreement before returning their attention to their meals. 

Deep down, Elise had an idea, a small flame burning inside of her. She knew that Draco was different this year, he hadn't been the same ever since his fathers imprisonment. Draco was merely a shell of himself, a shell that had been slowly decaying with every waking hour.

Elise shook her head, as much as she had to think about this, now simply wasn't the time. She needed to eat. As soon as she took a bite of her pie, somehow, she felt at ease. Every bite, paired with the glowing aroma, was a gentle massage on her soul.

"Anyway," Daphne grinned, "how on earth are you lot," she looked at Blaise and Theo, "planning on beating Gryffindor next week?"

Pansy stifled a laugh, "you lot have no hope."

"Hey!!" Theo smacked her hand, "we've done it before..."

"Just need to find a way to beat stupid Potter-"

Theo cut him off, "and without Draco anymore, we have no chance."

"Did you hear how much he paid Harper to take over?" Blaise shook his head at the though, "how I would kill for that money..."

"Kill?" Elise raised her brows, "just for some money?"

"Some money? Elise you know nothing."

"Just because your family hasn't seen more than a handful of galleons in their lifetime..." scoffed Pansy, finishing her last bite of her pie.

"Merlin Pansy, just keep your thoughts to yourself for once." Elise slammed her hands down on the table. "No one wants to hear your irritating voice anymore." 

Pansy clenched her fists, "you watch it."

And just like deja vu, Elise rememberd their previous encounter, how Pansy had rushed to Draco's defence, how he had almost outed himself as a Death Eater, a loyal follower of the most dangerous man in the Wizarding World. It had seemed like a silly joke, like Draco playing up in front of the other Slytherins, but with the events Elise had witnessed earlier today, she wasn't so sure anymore. 

Pieces of the puzzle were coming together, and it was forming an image that Elise did not want to see. Draco had been pulled into this darkness, and if he kept on going how he was, he was going to get himself killed.

"Draco?" Elise called out as she entered the common room. "I think-" She took a breath, "I know you need help." She didn't even know what she was doing, her mind moving on autopilot.

Draco appeared from around the corner, taking a seat in the middle of the empty common room. "Do my bloody essay for me then," he laughed weakly, wiping at his eyes.

Something was wrong with Draco, in the past few months, he had changed, in ways that Elise never thought possible. "Draco, what's happening?"

He sighed, "the whole bloody world is falling apart Elise!" He slammed his fist against the wall, throwing in a light laugh in an attempt to soften the blow. 

"How so?" She tilted her head, almost already knowing his answer.

"Can't you see?" Draco shrugged, turning to face her, "nothing is the same Elise."

"It is, it's the same old Hogwarts-"

"No." He cut her off sharply, "it's not just Hogwarts Elise. Can't you see it? Everything is different."

Elise couldn't deny the truth to what he was saying. She had been searched upon entry to Hogwarts, she had been warned of the threat to the Wizarding World, she had watched as Katie Bell was cursed into a state near-death. Hogwarts might have had risk before, but this was like no other. 

"You just don't get it Elise. There are two sides here, this is a war. It's nothing like it has ever been before. It won't be long before we're asked to start choosing sides, to start risking our lives for one side, and committing crimes against the others. Elise, for some of us," his voice quietened, "it's not a choice."