Chamber of Love

Chapter 17

She saw his white blond hair in no time. He was walking towards her, pushing people aside as they got in his way with his bag lazily hanging from his shoulder and robe following him like a fog.

Juliette felt something grab her shoulders. Squeeze it and get under her skin before stopping right in the middle of her throat, disabling her from breathing properly. It was panic.

"Oh, no." She said before quickly turning around and coming face to face with Cedric's confused expression.

"What does he want?" He asked with a frown. It was easy to say that he was not in the least pleased nor happy.

"I don't know." She answered even though she had an idea.

"Well," Cedric glanced at Juliette before eyeing Draco's figure that was coming closer towards them. "I'll tell him that you're tired and—"

"No." Juliette interrupted him. She had no desire of knowing what would happen if Cedric proceeded with his idea. "I'll talk to him. Go without me."

Cedric stared at her with annoyance. He had a reluctant look hidden in his eyes. "Juliette—" He attempted to protest but stopped himself as he remembered that they've already argued twice about this particular subject. "Fine. But I'll wait for you in the common room." He stipulated.

"Okay." She agreed and silently watched him reluctantly walk away with others.

She turned around with a nervous sigh. She was almost sure that the reason Draco was coming after her was the bruise on her forehead. He must've seen her at the dinner.

Her eyes locked on him. He walked closer to her before slowing down to stop but Juliette had other ideas. She turned around before he could say anything and walked down the corridor. He quickly followed her with curiosity, confusion and sparks of worry on his face.

Juliette turned around a corner and entered a dark, lonely hallway with quiet portraits decorating the isolated walls. Footsteps of chattering students were inaudible as she stopped in the middle of the corridor, her back still facing Draco.

He slowly walked closer to her, wood creaking beneath his feet, under the gazes of countless portraits, and left a little bit of space between them before stopping.

"Juliette," He called again, quite silently this time. She could swear on everything that she's never heard his voice come out in such a delicate way. "What happened?" He asked, taking a step closer as if he was testing the waters.

She looked down even though he couldn't see her and crossed her arms. In the short time before Draco walked around her to stop right in front of her weakened body, she wondered what Draco's reaction would be. Would he be worried? Concerned to an extent where he would ask countless questions if she was okay? Or would he feel remorseful that he wasn't there to help her?

Don't be ridiculous! Her conscious scolded her for her meaningless thoughts. He doesn't care. He will find you ugly. Don't show him. Don't tell him.

"Juliette." He repeated again. She wanted him to stop. She wanted him to just stop saying her name so she could stop feeling strange, foreign things that she couldn't understand.

"Nothing." She said, not giving him the answer he wanted to hear. Her eyes were still focused on their black, polished school shoes. She could feel the portraits watching their interaction with thrill.

"There's a huge bruise on your forehead, Juliette. Don't tell me it's nothing."

Juliette frowned. She didn't like how he confirmed her thoughts about the bump being too big.