Gifted

06

I could feel dread deep in my stomach beginning to rise up. I coughed.

"Not...really..."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Well...he...we...got into a fight," I said.

"Why?"

"Last week, my brother, Ron, found us in an...awkward position and he got mad. Really mad. He was going to punch Draco. It was all I could do to stop him. Then he was mad at me, said that Draco was a git and that I should leave him alone if I knew what was best for me! I listened to him. Draco and I had been meeting secretly for just one night when this happened. I skipped out on him the next day," I paused, tears rolling down my face, and looked at my lap. "On Saturday, I didn't want anything else to happen, I think I had reached my turning point in depression and confusion. I went up the the Astronomy Tower and I jumped off. But he stopped me. Draco stopped me from falling, even though I had skipped on him the other day. He used some kind of spell and well, we talked and certain things came around-"

"What certain things, may I ask?" Dumbledore interrupted. I let my hair fall in my face as best I could trying to hide my blush.

"We...um...well, I said I liked him...I didn't mean to. I have a horrible habit of saying things I'm thinking without even realizing it. He said he liked my as well."

"Why did you leave?"

"He kept saying everything's going to fine. And nothing bad will happen. That's not true though. It wasn't fine, me being with him. And how can nothing bad happen! You-Know-Who is out there right now plotting to kill us all. He doesn't care who, anyone who even threatens him, associates with Harry, or likes a muggleborn, he wants to kill. Depose of. How could something bad not happen?" I asked.

"I think he was just trying to be comforting," Dumbledore said. "At least we can mark one suspect off the list."

"Suspect?" I asked.

"That left that piece of glass in your bed," he replied. "That wants you dead."

"That's crazy, why would he want me dead?"

"There is something that I have yet to tell you about Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said. "There are many reasons behind this to which his parents have allowed, and Voldemort has insisted. Those who disobey him are dead. I want you to understand you can't leak a word of this to anyone."

"I understand," I said, hesitating a little.

"He is a Death Eater."

I slumped down in my chair as I heard those two words. I put my hand over my gaping mouth and stared at Dumbledore.

"That's...that's crazy! Why would You-Know-Who need a sixteen-year-old boy?" I asked, gaining my words again.

"That is a whole other story," he said. "I need you to be friends with Draco again. He doesn't have true friends to which he can share everything on his mind. He is suffering as much as you can't tell. He did this to himself willingly, rather then die a death of pain and torture, though it was insisted upon him and I don't think he knew what he was getting into. He was to replace his father, whom you will remember almost gave you brain damage last year at the Ministry."

"Yes, I remember that," I replied. "I wish I could thank Sirius."

"Lets not go there right this minute," Dumbledore said. "His father was captured and sent to Azkaban, that's why he is to replace him. Voldemort has full power to release Draco's father, though I think he has his reasons not to. He has been lying rather low, with only the occasional kidnapping, he is gathering his army, plotting his plans. Finding out weaknesses, our strengths. He knows he needs to defeat me before he will ever threaten this school."