OCEAN EYES | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 10: Words are poison

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My heartbeat gets faster as I approach the Hospital Wing. It's already been more than a week since Pansy's incident and I still haven't had the chance to speak with her. I know that she is avoiding that conversation on purpose. But it can't be like that forever, right? I know it, I'm sure she knows it too. I may be extremely stubborn and perhaps utterly annoying to her, but I don't want to give up trying.

If I don't talk to Pansy soon I will go insane. I'm unsure of my expectations. Do I want answers? But what answers if I'm not certain about the questions?

I stand in front of the Hospital Wing entrance and start questioning my decision to come here on my own.

I've had enough for today. Why complicate things even more?

'You're not a coward', I whisper to myself and finally open the door.

Madam Pomfrey suddenly appears in front of me.

'Ms. Black', she says with a stone expression on her face.

'Go ahead', she allows.

'15 minutes, I know', I say not giving her the chance to do so.

Madam Pomfrey nods approvingly and steps aside. I take quiet and careful steps toward the most distant side of the Hospital Wing where Pansy's bed is located.

On the way, I pass by several other students, most probably younger than us. They are all sleeping with peaceful expressions on their faces.

I catch myself slowing down on purpose and clinging onto every little thing in the room to observe in order to delay what is about to come.

I finally arrive at Pansy's section. She is laying on her back, and the upper side of her body is slightly raised. Her eyes are fixed on some unknown point on the opposite wall. My arrival pulls her out of her trans and her eyes widen in shock as she sees me. She can't escape this time. She can't pretend to be asleep. It's me and her, and the 15 minutes we have.

I see an empty chair near the hospital bed and rush into it as if my legs would betray me any second now.

Pansy follows my movement with her peripheral vision but doesn't turn her head to face me.

'Are you feeling better?', I finally ask, cutting the silence.

Several seconds pass before she responds.

'I guess.'

I nod anxiously. My palms start sweating. What do I do now? What am I supposed to say? I feel so stupid.

'Are they going to discharge you soon?', those are not the questions I wish to ask. Or at least they're not the questions I seek the answers to.

Pansy shrugs her shoulders.

'Perhaps.'

Silence. Again. It's piercing and heavy. My lips are dry, but as I lick them it gets even worse. A bitter poisonous taste invades my mouth.

It's the cocktail of emotions I am experiencing right now.

'Why did you come?'