Because I Love You (D.M)

Chapter 20: Guilty Until Proven Innocent

"Hey, buddy, I think it's best you go back to bed for a couple of hours. You need your rest and I know it'll do you some good," I told him quietly.

He sniffled and I wiped a stray tear off his pale cheek.

"Davis, are we gonna be okay?" Johnny asked sniffling again.

"I promise we will be fine," I state squeezing his small hand.

"All right," he said and gave me a hug before departing for bed.

I stayed behind until it was just Ernie and I sitting opposite each in the growing sunlight that petered through the windows. A heavy silence covered the Common Room as it sank in that Albus Dumbledore was gone. Poor Johnny was too scared of what would happen along the lines of school next year and I felt horrible that I couldn't do anything to ease he's fear. I could only assume going back to public school wouldn't be a cup of tea for Johnny or me.

"Davis, I've got to go attend a meeting of Prefects in the Great Hall. I'll be back in about an hour," Ernie explained as he rose from his stuffed armchair.

I nodded absentmindedly as he left through the barrel opening and continued to sit alone in the Common Room. It seemed like only a few minutes had passed when Ernie flopped through the barrel ungracefully and took up his chair across from mine again.

"You haven't moved I see," he pointed out.

"You have," I said with an attempted smile.

"It was a long hour."

"Really? Seemed like only five minutes to me. How was the meeting then?" I questioned.

"There's going to be a funeral held for Professor Dumbledore this afternoon. Some of the professors are already out by the lake setting it up. The Heads of Houses are going to rouse everyone up in an hour to attend. Though attendance is not technically required, they've got enough chairs for every student here. There's going to be a large white tomb where Dumbledore will be buried," Ernie elaborated.

"Why wouldn't everyone attend?" I asked confusedly.

"I don't know, grief still too near?" He hypothesized.

"Ah, I see."

"We've got an hour before everything starts then," Ernie muttered tiredly.

"Why don't you go lay down? You look exhausted and you deserve some rest, Ern," I commented.

"You know, I think I will actually," he said rising from his chair and heading towards his dormitory.

I ended up spending a great deal of that hour contemplating Malfoy. He didn't seem like the killing type, he always looked too weak. Sure, he was trying to follow in his father's footsteps, but from the amount of one-on-one interaction I had had with Draco, I couldn't fathom him killing anyone, let alone Professor Dumbledore. Malfoy had appeared almost sickly towards his last few days at Hogwarts, but somehow he must've done it. I stared at the floor and thought hard about him and my feelings for him. Were they strong enough to see through the killer or had this been another hopeless cry for love? My thoughts drifted towards Zach and Hannah and I felt that empty sadness seep into my body. It was all too much. I sat in the Common Room alone and wept silently over everything this school year had brought me.

When the hour was up, Ernie found me curled up in the armchair with tear tracks and puffy eyes. Other students began heading out from their beds and down to the lakeside. Ernie put a supportive arm around me and I leaned against him. Through all the hard times, Ernie was the one friend that stuck by me and my stupid emotions and I was beyond thankful for him. The two of us made our way down with the swarm of silent students towards the rows and rows of chairs set out in front of the gleaming lake. I spotted Johnny and Gwendolyn and a few other first years near the front row. Ernie and I took seats near Wayne, Susan, Justin, and Leanne. Zach's father turned up to escort his son home and many other students left instead of attending the funeral. A vast majority of students remained behind to pay their respects to the hallowed Headmaster.