and I stand with you

eightteen

Draco woke me up the next morning before people started flooding in, and we went down to breakfast together.
"I have to go see Fred." I told him, and he nodded as we went separate ways in the dining room.
"Hey!" Fred and George greeted me as I sat next to them both.
"Hi, Fred, can we talk?" I looked only at him.
"Yeah, sure." He grabbed my hand, leading me out. I looked back at Draco and caught his eye for a moment before turning away. Fred pulled me into an empty classroom, shutting the door quietly behind him to avoid suspicion.
"What's up?" He asked, sitting on a desk.
"Fred.." I started, looking down at the floor.
"Octavia?" He sat up, walking over to me but I backed up. I needed to go through with this. I had to, or he wouldn't be safe.
"I can't see you anymore." I didn't meet his eyes.
"What are you talking about?" He tried, but I stopped him.
"Not anymore, Frederick. I can't see you anymore. I'm sorry. This is over." I mumbled, turning away and rushing out the door, leaving him behind. I kept my head down as I made my way to my table, taking a seat next to Draco. He smiled up at me as I sat down, and I shoved my emotions deep down to keep my sanity.
"Hi." He said, resting his hand on my leg. I pushed it off and focused on breakfast, droning out the rest of the crowd.

It was only when Fred entered the hall again when I heard everyone once more, their jokes and laughter not affecting on our faces as we caught each others eyes for only a moment.
"Why's he got that look?" Draco whispered, and I shrugged him off. What would he even say if I had told him?
"Don't know." I picked at my eggs.

Our schedules floated around the tables, and we quickly all pulled ours away. I definitely had classes with both Fred and George, not that I would talk to them anyways. I was right, of course, as the first class I had, they were already sitting down whispering to each other as I walked in, avoiding eye contact with them both.

When class ended, it wasn't Fred who called after me in the hall, it was George.
"Via! Wait!" I turned around, looking at him for a moment before gazing at the floor.
"What?" I asked.
"What's going on? Fred told me you told him you don't want to see him anymore." He leaned against the wall and I clenched my fists.
"I can't. I can't see him anymore. Leave me alone." I turned around, but he grabbed my shoulder and made me face him.
"This have anything to do with Malfoy?" He gave me a cold look.
"This has nothing to do with anyone besides me and Fred, and it's none of your business frankly." I stormed off, leaving George looking stunned in the middle of the hallway.

"I can't figure out this problem." Pansy sat across from Draco in the common room, practically undressing him with her eyes, and to my surprise he didn't buy into it.
"Do you need any help with anything?" He looked over at me instead, and I shook my head and went back to homework.
"Dray, help me!" She whined, and I scoffed and got up from the table, making an annoyed exit out of the common room.

I found myself up in the tower again, staring out at the night sky like always. My first night back at Hogwarts and I had already ended a perfectly good relationship and pissed off his best friend and brother. I needed to do it though, I needed to keep him safe.
"Octavia?" When I turned around, Draco was coming up the stairs, making his way beside me.
"Pansy became too much?" I laughed, climbing up on the stone and swinging my legs over the edge.
"No, but yes. I wanted to see if you were okay. I know you're not, so don't lie to me." He climbed up next to me.
"I told Fred I couldn't see him anymore." I sighed, tossing a pebble over the side of the building.
"I'm sorry." He grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together.
"You're still wearing it?" I noticed the bracelet on his wrist, still hanging there where I had left it.
"Of course."
"You never told me if you knew what it meant." I touched the cold metal before turning towards him to see him eye to eye.
"No idea." He smirked, looking away and out at the stars.
"Oh." I blushed, showing my hands in my pockets.
"I still like it." He looked at me.
"Okay, good." I smiled.
"Octavia, I have a question." He put a finger under my chin to tilt my face towards him.
"Can I kiss you?" He eyed my lips. My heart was absolutely pounding out of my chest as he asked, words unable to come out of my mouth.
Both of our heads whipped around when we heard kids running up the stairs, watching them get to the top and run back down in a race.
"They'll break their necks like that." I laughed, looking back to Draco.
"You didn't answer my question." He brought his hand up to my cheek, caressing my skin with his thumb as I stayed there feeling the warmth of his fingers on my face.
"Why do you want to kiss me anyways?" I questioned him.
"I always want to kiss you, Octavia." He leaned into me, and I didn't stop him this time. It felt like the world was finally slowing down, finally giving us a break. It wasn't a fast kiss, it wasn't rushed. For once, we took our time, we went slow, and we felt every bit of it.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He sighed, pulling away from me.
"Well, now is a good a time as any other." I grabbed his hand and we sat there, quietly watching the sun set and fall.

So alone.

But together.