Miss Brightside

Chapter 33

Withholding an eye roll, Addi bit her lip and turned around to glare at the blonde boy jogging toward her. He halted two feet from her and gave her a guilty frown.  Addi crossed her arms and waited for him to speak first. He did so with a hesitant sigh. 

"I didn't know you would be there that day-"

"You lied to me," she cut him off with, eyes staring deep into his own. 

"I did what I had to do to uphold my reputation," Draco sneered back. "The last thing I need is for people to question my actions."

"If you think I understand, I don't," Addi spat back. "There was no reason to lie to me if your reputation matters more than our friendship."

"I didn't say that," he said, taking a step closer to her .

"You didn't need to," Addi replied. She waited a moment for him to respond, but he just stared at her- lost for words. Dropping her arms to her sides she let out a deep sigh, "I think this conversation is over."

Moving around his still frame, she left him standing alone in the corridor, contemplating his actions and choices. 

~~~

It didn't take as long as she'd hoped to reach the defense classroom as she'd hoped, so she just meandered outside the door for  quite a long time trying to once again work herself up for the impeding conversation.  

Her eyes widened as Harry stepped out of the door with a small smile on his face. His eyes landed on her and  he tilted his head, "Addi? What are you doing here?"

Her mouth gaped open as she grasped for an answer, but nothing seemed to come. "Um-well...I need to ...speak to the professor-"

"Oh, well he actually left a few moments ago. I was just collecting the marauders Map."

Addi's heart dropped into her stomach and she gave her best friend a small nod before rushing off down the hall.

~~~

"So, you were just going to leave again?"

The man stopped in his tracks under the Hogsmeade train station entrance. Turning on his heal, he spotted an out of breath Addi a few steps behind him. 

He frowned," I just thought-"

"Why do you keep running from me?" Addi implored, tears welling in her eyes. "Did you hate having a child that much?"

"Addi, I am so proud that you are my daughter. So proud. But I couldn't stay with you because of my condition. I'm a danger to be around." He told her, turning back around with watery eyes, once again ready to leave his daughter if it kept her safe. 

"But it worked!" Addi rushed, trying to keep him from going. "The spell worked! I turned you back!'

Remus froze, swiveling to face her in disbelief. "What?" he whispered. 

"The morning after- you woke up in the woods with a bruise on your chest?" he nodded. "That was the spell making contact." 

"But-"

"No 'buts'! I did that for you," Addi pointed at him, tears falling from her chocolate brown eyes- the ones across from her doing the same. "And now you want to leave again?"

"I never wanted to leave you!" Remus revealed. "But I knew that if I stayed around someone was going to get hurt, or worse. I had to make the tough decision as a father to let you go, so that you could live!"

Addi sobbed, rushing up to him and wrapping her arms around his middle, "Please don't leave me again."

More tears clouded his vision as he hesitantly returned her embrace. Glancing up, he spotted Dumbledore watching from a nearby bench with a knowing smile. The older gentleman sent him a subtle nod and Remus squeezed Addi tight in his arms. "I won't. Never again." He pulled away from the hug slightly to wipe some of her tears, her face glowing red from her sobs. "But I believe there is a long conversation we need to have. 

So, Remus picked his luggage up in one hand and wrapped his free arm around his daughter's shoulders, leading her toward the Three Broomsticks. Addi continued to cry even though there was a smile on her face.

She finally found her father