[1] Gasoline ✗ Draco Malfoy

twenty six

Her friends were staring at her. Seohyun's quill shook in her hand, splattering ink across her page. Come on! Do it.

Her entire body trembling like a leaf in the wind, her heart racing like someone taking off on a Firebolt, her skin clammy and her breathing sounding very much like a banshee, Seohyun grasped the edge of her sleeve.

She hesitated, and drew it up. She closed her eyes and flinched, awaiting the yells and accusations from her friends as the black mark was unveiled.

"Seohyun –" Padma breathed.

Tears pricked Seohyun's eyes. "I – I had no choice. Bellatrix was going to kill me. Draco saved me the only way he knew how, and as a result..." She trailed off, her voice caught in her throat.

"Seohyun."

Anthony sounded so disappointed. It was like a knife wound to her heart, her stomach, her throat - everywhere. Somehow the blade managed to pierce even her soul.

Seohyun dipped her head. "I'm sorry. I should've been upfront, but I was ashamed -"

"How could you keep this from us?"

Seohyun flinched at Padma's harsh, raised voice. She'd never heard Padma yell, ever. "I didn't -"

Anthony climbed to his feet. "Those groups who were found out. Was that because of you?"

"They were holding my parents hostage! They still are!"

Seohyun was having difficulty breathing. They were taking this the entirely wrong way! She knew, she'd told Luna this would happen...

Terry shook his head. His eyes had narrowed. "But you should've -"

"Stop!" Seohyun cried, and covered her ears with her hands.

Once the others had stopped speaking and she'd regained her composure, Seohyun folded her hands into her lap. Her eyes remained focused on a burn on the table when she resumed speaking.

"I've done some awful things. Against my will, but that's no excuse. But..." She lifted her head. "I'm going to fix them." She raised her chin, looking much braver than she felt. "I'm going to let my true allegiances known. They can punish me however they want – lock me in Azkaban, kill me. But I won't let them use me to hurt you any longer."

"You can't!" Padma leapt to her feet. "Okay, you haven't been a saint... But they'll do even worse things to you once they find this out! Surely you know this?"

Padma was staring at Seohyun as though she was insane. Well, maybe she was. But she also wasn't the kind of person to watch people suffer and do nothing about it.

"More people will get hurt," Seohyun said evenly. Now she could sound brave – she was doing something she believed in. She was helping others, protecting them, making this hellhole a slightly better place. Seohyun was happiest when she was helping people, and this would be the most she'd ever done for anyone. "I can't let this go on."

Padma shook her head as though in a state of disbelief. Terry and Anthony exchanged matching worried looks.

"Why can't we hide you?" Terry asked.

"They'll take it out on my parents."

"We'll get the Order to hide your parents."

"Who knows how long that will take? I won't put you at their mercy for any time longer than necessary."

"Seohyun."

Padma sighed and walked around the table, taking both of Seohyun's hands in her own. Tears fell freely down Seohyun's cheeks and she wept, resting her head against Padma's chest. Terry and Anthony were soon by her side, rubbing her back.