Belong (D.M)

Part twentyeight

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you're referring to Myrtle" she said politely.

"Oh hu" the ghost girl whined, floating closer to her "who are you?"

"Ellie"

"Ellie?" Moaning Myrtle asked, flying over to inspect her face closely "Ellie of Gryffindor? I think you know the crying boy, he talks about you all the time, I don't like that, but I have to listen to it because he is my friend"

She furrowed her eyebrows as Moaning Myrtle floated off, dipping her toes into the bath.

"Who is your friend? Who is the crying boy?"

"I'm not telling you Ellie of Gryffindor" Moaning Myrtle teased, splashing water around her "you know him, he talks about you all the time"

Could it be? No, it could not be possible. Or could it?
They lived in different times. They shared no common interests. One was alive, and one was a lonely and ignored ghost trapped in a bathroom forever. There was no possible way for a meaningful conversation to occur between the two of them, and the crying boy? She had hardly ever seen him cry, or let out much emotion with any sort of ease.

"Draco Malfoy?"

"Oh yes" Moaning Myrtle giggled, bobbing her head back and forth "such a pretty boy"

"Draco comes in here?" she asked.

"Yes, he's my friend" Moaning Myrtle spat at her "he's sensitive, people bully him too, and he feels lonely and hasn't got anybody to talk to, and he's not afraid to show his feelings and cry"

It sounded like what he had been trying to convey in his letters, him feeling lonely. However, the side of him that's not afraid to show his feelings and cry, that wasn't something she had experienced. Perhaps it is easier to let your guard down in front of a ghost.

She had a hard time connecting Myrtle, the muggleborn teenage ghost killed by you know who and the Draco Malfoy she knew. The Draco that took great pride in his pureblood status. The Draco that was supposed to be on Myrtle's opposing side, seeing as his family had connections with the man who had killed her.

But she supposed that being trapped in a bathroom for an eternity could get quite lonely. She had heard stories about Myrtle being bullied and taunted in her life, and her misery hadn't seemed to come to a halt even after her death, being taunted by fellow ghosts like Peeves and always ignored and called names by students.

Draco, on the other hand, who seemed to be greatly disturbed by something, could not possibly share his fear and struggle without giving himself away. And maybe that was why he hadn't sent the letters? Maybe that was why he kept himself hidden away? Maybe that was why he cried in a out of order girls bathroom to a miserable ghost who can't leave, who can't tell anyone his secrets and his weaknesses. She imagined that maintaining such a strong reputation could get hard, especially if things did not turn out how they are supposed to. His world was slowly disintegrating, she could see it in his eyes every time he walked by. His father was in Azkaban, his mother was an emotional wreck, his two bodyguards had no brains at all and the girl he had shared his first kiss with had told him to go away. She could see why he was in such a vulnerable state of terror and despair where he felt like he had no one to trust except a ghost in a bathroom.

Loneliness bound them together. They were both lonely and felt like they had no one to talk to, no one to confide in, and even though it was out of different reasons it still brought them together. They were both hiding, shielding themselves. They were simply two lonely and tired souls desperate for understanding and kindness from the world.

"I need to go and find him"

She got up from where she was sat by the window and rushed off, only to run into him by the door. He was alone, gripping onto the wall next to him for dear life as his panicked eyes landed upon her.

"E-Ellie?" he breathed, his chest heaving up and down rapidly "w-what a-are you d-doing here?"

"I was looking for you" she said as he shook his head vigorously, covering his face with his hands as he began to cry, agonizing whimpers leaving his lips.

"I can't, I can't"

"Draco" she breathed as she reached her hands out to touch him "it's okay, I'm here, everything is okay"

He flinched at her touch, like she had burned him. And he cried out in agony as she looked at him, bewildered as to what to do. He was having a full blown panic attack, and she felt helpless.

"Myrtle help" she called out, looking around the bathroom for the ghost.

"I might be his friend, but he likes you way more" Moaning Myrtle sniffled, hovering above a broken toilet "I can't help you"

The ghost cried out as she dove into the toiled underneath her, disappearing with a splash.

"Draco hey Draco, look at me" she said to the pale boy as she grabbed his shoulders "it's okay, I promise, it's okay"

"No Ellie" he cried, his body shaking uncontrollably "nothing will ever be okay again"

He was barely breathing and she desperately tried to get him to calm down, but nothing was working.

"Draco please" she whispered as she held onto him "can you please breathe with me? I'll help you okay? But you have to calm down"

He wasn't listening, it was like he wasn't hearing her at all. So she leaned in and she grabbed his face, cupping his gaunt cheeks in her hands. His face felt a lot more bony than the last time she had held it, but in the moment she didn't care. She pressed a kiss to his pale lips, and he stopped. Once he had seemed to relax a bit more she pulled away, lingering with her lips inches from his.

"Ellie" he breathed as he fell into her arms. She found herself sitting on the wet bathroom floor, with him laying his upper body on her lap. He looked absolutely exhausted, and his eyes looked almost lifeless.

"What's going on with you?" she asked softly as she slowly combed her fingers through his light blonde hair "what has happened Draco?"

"I can't tell you Ellie, I'm so sorry"

"It's okay" she hummed, trailing her fingers along his forehead "whenever you're ready Draco, I'll be right here whenever you're ready"

They stayed like that, quiet for a moment, and she was thankful that he had found his way back into her arms at last.

"I wish that I could go back in time to the days where I could smile" he mumbled after moment, closing his eyes as a tear rolled down his cheek. He did not even bother to wipe it away, he seemed to tired to lift his arms. So she wiped it for him.

"You will smile again, I promise you Draco, no matter what I'll make sure of it"

"Ellie please don't leave me" he mumbled, keeping his eyes closed "I'm a mess, and I say things that I don't mean but I need you, I know that"

"I'm right here" she assured him as she stroked his cheek "I'm staying right here, I'm not going to leave you"

"You're everything to me Ellie, I don't care what they think, you're perfect to me"