Never • The Lost Daughter | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 6 - Dementors (3d year)

TWO YEARS LATER

Hogwarts Express started moving under us, taking us away from anything ordinary and back to what we knew best: magic. Watching the steadily darkening light in the sky and the moving landscape, I thought that it was only two years ago that I had first met this world. Glaring at the appearing stars, I thought of all the things that had happened in these two years.

I had found out what true home means, as I had found my one true house, Hogwarts. I had found out what true friendship means. Luna, Harry, Hermione and Ron were my true friends. I had learned so many things about both magic and life and there wasn't a day that I wasn't grateful enough for that.

In a way, losing my parents had brought me to a new family, one that resided at an old castle in Scotland.

Every time I looked up into the sky I was sure that my parents were somewhere up there and they were smiling at me and every day of my life I was trying to make them proud whether that was by earning another point for Ravenclaw or by finishing up another book.

Funny thing is - and I would never expect thinking that - sometimes I needed a break from the magic world. I would open up a book that strangely was not about a famous wizard and or read a muggle newspaper that did not have any moving pictures. I liked being transferred to the world I had known when my parents were alive, thinking of how my father would disprove of that new Republican President at the States every time he turned on the telly. Of course, Draco Malfoy would catch me in these moments of muggleness in the Astronomy Tower, scoff at the uninteresting, motionless newspaper and then call me a mudblood all the way through. Let's say it was our Monday ritual.

Of course, thanks to his regular attempts, in these two years, Draco was never out of my mind. Of course, he didn't leave me much of a choice but to hate him. What pained me most, however, was that in the two years that he was tormenting me, he had never even wonder what my name was. To him, 'Mudblood' was my first name and 'Ravenclaw' was my last. I constantly tried to push any thought of him, good or bad, out of my mind, in helpless need of having a moment of peace to myself.

*     *     *

But how can you stop thinking about him when he's sitting just in front of you?

Luna and I were late again and we got on the train just 10 minutes before it left. As last time, there were no seats left except a few, which were near Draco's. We agreed that we had to sit there before these seats were taken as well.

And now I had to know that he was sitting near me for an about 7 hours' ride. What's worse is that Pansy Parkinson was sitting next to him, giving him small kisses in his cheek (thank God, nowhere else) every once in a while. A parade of smiles, kisses, hugs and holding hands.

I had the time to study his face. This boy was getting sadder and sadder every time I looked at him and was it my idea or was he very annoyed by Pansy's little kisses and hugs?

Half an hour passed and Pansy kept leaning by Draco, not leaving an inch free between them. I kept on watching the view outside my window, ignoring her naughty comments. Draco on the other side, who didn't seem very comfortable with her behavior, didn't react. On the contrary, it was like he was trying to breathe but he couldn't. He breathed heavier and heavier every second and I started wondering why would that be.

"Oh, for goodness sake, Pansy. I think you'll drown me at some point! I can't breathe," he finally said after four hours of patience and drew himself back from her. He seemed like he... couldn't stand her anymore.

"What?" she asked in surprise opening her eyes widely.

"Didn't you hear me? I can't breathe!" he pushed her slightly. He tried not to speak too loud and make it sound like a whisper, but his voice was hard to get sweeter. He was still bitter with Pansy. I understand him perfectly, I wouldn't want a girl hitting on me that much in public either, but he was rude anyway.