Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 47

I am woken by a door opening downstairs and shutting. I turn over and see Draco there beside me, his eyes still closed. I didn't sleep last night. I got all of ten minutes when I look at the clock. Sighing, I turn back over and enjoy the cuddle I am sharing with Draco, and I forget that this is not what people on breaks do. I hear a door close to me opening, and I look up to see my mum standing in the doorway. 'Kids?' I shake Draco a little to wake him, and ruffle his hair. His eyes flutter open and he looks up at me, shuts his eyes, and then they fly open, his eyes filled with realisation. 'Come on, get dressed. The doctors say you can see her today.'

'She's okay?' I breath a sigh of relief. My mum looks down.
'Yes, she's okay. They - they did lose her at one point.' My heart stops. 'But the defibrillator restarted her heart, luckily, and they managed to stop the internal bleed before it killed her.'
'What's a defibrillator?' Draco whispers in my ear as we sit up, his arms around my waist. I note I'm still in my uniform. 'It's something muggles use to restart the heart. Uses electricity.' I explain, but he still looks lost. I forget that wizards don't do muggle physics. 'Anyways, they did have to put her into a coma. She's in the Intensive Care Unit still, but the doctors have said that we can see her today.' I breath a sigh of relief.

'Come on then, you two. Get dressed, we need to leave soon.' I slip from the bed and open my wardrobe, looking for some new clothes that aren't school uniform. Once I have quickly changed, a knock sounds through my room, and the door opens to reveal Draco, clutching a letter. 'It's for you.' He holds it out, and I take it from him, opening it.
'Hermione.' I mutter, sitting down on the bed. The letter isn't all too long.

Alyssia,

One does hope you are alright! Dumbledore informed me that you have been taken out of school with regards to your family for a few days, is everything okay? Did Malfoy go with you? I didn't see him at all yesterday after he picked you up during DADA. You didn't miss much, you won't this year, despite the importance. You did, however, miss the most fascinating Ancient Runes lesson, but the assignment is here in the dorm, don't worry. Harry and Ron say they miss you loads, they're missing the double act in the "brains" of the four of us, apparently.
Love,
Hermione

The letter alone crushes me further. She doesn't realise what's happened in the last twenty four hours, how my world has come crashing down. 'I should reply.' I say, finding some ink and parchment spare in my room. I begin to dip the quill in the ink, but my hands are shaking like mad. 'Ba—Lyssa? Should I do it?'
'It's fine, Draco, I can.' I shake my head, but spill ink on Hermione's letter. Draco steps up behind me and takes the quill from my hand, setting it to parchment. 'Tell her everything.' I whisper, looking down at my hands. I watch Draco closely as he writes the letter to Hermione.

Granger,

If you don't recognise the writing, that's probably because it's Malfoy writing this letter. Alyssia is far too shaken. Her sister got hit by a car yesterday, and we're all in serious shock. Morgan seems to be okay now, she's stable. She was critical at first, and she did die half way through operating, but they used a defibri-watsathingy to restart her heart, and managed to stop her internal bleed. We will be returning to school at some point, but are not sure when. We're going to see Morgan today, as we're allowed in.

Malfoy and Alyssia

'Good enough?' Draco asks, showing me the letter.
'Yeah. Are we ready now?' I ask as Draco ties the letter to Feather's leg and sends her off.
'I think so.' Draco shrugs, looking around the room. He holds out his hand, helping me up. I feel uncomfortable at the fact that I don't know what our situation is; we're half on a break, but as equally together, and we are more than certainly acting like we are still in our usual relationship. For example, we slept in the same fucking bed last night. I stare at myself in the mirror before grabbing my coat and pulling Draco from the room. My mum smiles when she sees us, our hands locked, and I feel suddenly embarrassed. We're on a fucking break, and we have to act like shit hasn't happened.