Never said I love you┃D.M.

Chapter twenty-six

On September first, Draco stepped onto the Hogwarts express with a pep in his step.

This year even fewer students returned, so the train was nearly empty, and there were many compartments to choose from.

Draco chose one with a nice window seat for Y/n and waited patiently for his girlfriend's arrival. This year would be the year of the wizarding war, but he couldn't help feeling excited for school.

He was free of his tasks, he had a plan to help prevent Y/n's capture, and he was a deatheater, meaning he was basically untouchable at school.

Soon, the train left the station, but Y/n was still no where to be found. Draco searched each aisle for the h/c haired girl or her strange blonde friend, but couldn't find either.

"What's wrong mate?" Blaise Zabini asked as he approached a panicked looking Draco.

"Have you seen Y/n?"

"No, I hear a temporary apparition platform was placed, so that parents don't feel as scared dropping off their kids." Blaise said as he gestured for Draco to take a seat.

"Don't stress it, she's probably fine." His friend reassured.

"Yeah...yeah you're right" Draco stammered.

It made sense that Y/n's parents would do that. They were always stressing over the safety of their only child.

Draco fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat, still obsessing over why Y/n hadn't even bothered to owl him about missing the express, but he lightened up eventually and was able to enjoy the ride with Blaise. His attitude change was probably due to the fire whiskey Blaise had snuck onto the train in a silver flask. 

Maybe not the wisest decision, being that they were now rambling like crazy men.

"You know, I love her. Like I really really love her." Draco announced drunkenly.

"You really do mate" Blaise started laughing uncontrollably.

"I swear when the war is over, I'm going to tell her that and then I'm going to marry her" Draco laughed along with his friend.

"DUDE! You should like get her a ring"

"That's such a good idea!" Draco exclaimed his red eyes getting larger at the moment.

"DUDE I already got a ring." Draco said loudly almost yelling, though neither of them could hear how loud they were being.

"No way DUDE!"

"YES WAY. MY MOM TOLD ME THAT I COULD USE HERS WHEN I WANTED TO PROPOSE TO MY FUTURE WIFE!" The boy announced proudly.

"YEAH MAN DO IT!" Blaise shouted back.

"Should I marry Pansy?" Blaise blurted in the spur of the moment.

"No...no...now you're really drunk DUDE"

"Drunk words are sober thoughts." Blaise laughed patting Draco's back.

"Seriously though, if you love her you need to put a ring on it"

✵

The train arrived shortly after, and the two began to wind down.

"But what if she doesn't love me?" Draco asked suddenly.

"DUDE are you kidding? My girl Y/n is in love."

"Yeah...yeah."

The two arrived inside the castle, yet Y/n was still nowhere to be found.

Draco searched until he saw a familiar brunette boy.

"Hey! Longbottom!" Draco called out to the boy.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Neville snapped. Neville may have been a shy and nervous around Draco in his past years, but that was no longer the case.

"Have you seen Y/n?" Draco asked in a surprisingly gentle tone.

"No, I have not, maybe she didn't return this year. Maybe, she was avoiding you."

"What was that Longbottom?" Draco seethed as he pinned Neville against a wall.

"Do I need to remind you that-"

He was interrupted by a small, but surprisingly strong Ginny Weasley pulling Neville out of his grasp.

"You may call us blood traitors, but you, you're a traitor to the entire wizarding world. I wouldn't blame Y/n if she didn't show up just because she wanted to avoid you and your selfish arse." Ginny spat and dragged Neville away.

Draco stood there, stunned. Had Y/n decided to continue her studies from home? Or maybe some other force prevented her attendance?

Weeks passed at the once lively school. Being that Snape returned as headmaster, the now drab and dreary school was filled with deatheaters. Students were hardly fed, and punishments had become more frequent and much more violent.

The only bit of hope that the students could salvage was from the news that Harry, Hermione, and Ron were on a quest to destroy horcruxes.

Neville had stepped up and held secret D.A.D.A. meetings, as well as arranging for daily food drop-offs from Aberforth Dumbledore, whose generosity and kindness helped save many children from starving.

The students began a routine of going to class, then straight back to their dorms, making sure not to anger the Carrows, who were currently overseeing proper discipline acts.

Because of Draco's power, the Carrows dared not to touch him, but instead used him as a pawn when torturing first years.

In the past, Draco would have certainly enjoyed this task, but seeing their poor faces only reminded him of his girlfriend. 

At least once a day, he was sent to a room where 2-10 children were sat. Instead of hurting them, he would tell them stories. Stories of the Great Dumbledore and how Hogwarts had been before the rise of Voldemort.

Their sad faces brightened with joy at his stories, sometimes he even went as far as acting out certain experiences.

Draco's time with the first years was a good distraction for most of the day, until his mind instantly went back to thinking about Y/n. 

To cope with her absence, he sent her at least one letter daily, practically begging for a response. At night, he made his way to the astronomy tower, a task that made him tremble when he remembered the very day Dumbledore died. 

He sat at the ledge and gazed at the stars for hours.

He found Scorpius instantly and looked down at his ring. Someplace somewhere, Y/n Godwin was sitting doing God knows what, wearing a ring just like his. This fact was the only thing that kept him going.