WE NEED EACH OTHER [DRARRY]

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN : HIDE AND SEEK

"I don't know," I replied flatly, too tired for some prudence, "And I don't care."

Astoria didn't seem to notice. "We were supposed to go to lunch together, but he didn't come, so I thought he might have changed his mind. But I couldn't find him anywhere these past three hours." Her tone made me feel bad for her. She was so sweet, really, worrying about Malfoy.

"He has to be somewhere in the castle, right?" I nervously asked.

"I've searched everywhere!" Astoria exclaimed, tears glistening in her eyes. "Every corner or every place I could think of!"

She glanced around the room again. "Tell me anything you know, please. You were the one Draco was with last."

I looked at her expression and then on my white sheets.

"Well..." The guilt gnawing at my insides told me to tell her the truth. "We got into an... argument... and I haven't seen him since."

Astoria didn't get angry like I expected her to. She just looked even more troubled.

"Oh, Salazar!" she breathed. "This is bad. Draco overthinks so much. He's probably really sad right now..."

And hurt. I thought. In more ways than one...

"I'm so worried about him now," she said, "It's very unlike him to just disappear like that. What if he's done something to himself?"

All this worrying made me worried. "I- I'm sure he's fine." Though, he probably wasn't. I remembered his ghastly expression when he ran out of the dorm. "I can help you find Ma—Draco if you want."

Astoria nodded. "We can find him quicker that way."

We both got to searching for Malfoy. I was thankful that Astoria hadn't questioned the bruises on my face. She either didn't make the connection or was too polite to make a point of it.

Astoria decided to look in the castle, so I took responsibility for searching the grounds.

I went to check the quidditch pitch first. No luck.

Wandered towards the greenhouses, but still, no luck.

I was getting a bit more nervous now. Where could Malfoy have gone?

In the state he was, it would have been almost fatal to apparate. He couldn't have left Hogwarts without thoroughly injuring himself.

As I walked towards the lake, I bumped into Hagrid, who grinned when he saw me.

"Harry!"

I smiled back, but it was a bit strained. Hagrid seemed to notice, "Wha's wrong?"

"Malfoy's missing," I said, but it sounded like I was complaining. "I was just wondering if you'd seen him." I tried not to look guilty as I said this.

"Why, o'course!" Hagrid beamed, but then his expression darkened. "Poor boy was beaten up ter shreds. Face a bloody mess, nose broken an' all. Could barely breathe tha' one, crying his eyes out, wouldn't say wha' happened. Finally managed ter get some sleep an hour ago! Bless his soul."

Hagrid shook his large hairy head sadly. He had many reasons to hate Malfoy after all the pain he and his father had given him. Yet, here he was, speaking of him like he was some innocent victim. 

If it was possible, I felt worse.

"Is he with you now?" I asked desperately.

"I couldn't le' him stay out in that state, could I now?" Hagrid indignantly said, waving his large hands around. "He wasn't polite about it either, but didn't expect him ter be anyway, the git he is."