remember me

twenty-three

Sick

draco's pov
I didn't know what more I could do to make her believe me. We just stood in silence for what felt like hours, enjoying the snow fall on the rest of Hogwarts. But I knew it had only been minutes when I checked my watch. "It's past curfew." I say quietly, still looking out at the world.

"What are you going to do about it? Send me back?" Luella muttered, sarcasm in her voice.

I take a few seconds to reply, deciding what I should even say to that. "I guess since your with a prefect it'll be acceptable to stay out a little after curfew."

Luella only scoffed. I couldn't tell if it was a chuckle or just out of anger. "What's your problem with Malachi?" She turns to me.

"I don't have a problem." I say blandly.

She looks at me like she's trying to figure me out. It felt like the first time in weeks she hasn't looked at me with pure anger. I didn't blame her. Luella thought I had showed the photo of the Weasleys to her parents.

I still don't really know what had happened, either. It's why I couldn't fully explain to Luella that it wasn't me. I had left the picture under my pillow. Who looks under other people's pillows? I had no defense to give her beside my word. And she didn't take my word.

It made me feel guilty. And I hate feeling guilty. But just the thought of her locked up, away from everyone for five entire nights made me sick to my stomach. I had never knew about the Necessarium until that day when I walked in on the argument.

Astoria and Seraphina had told me about it the next day. Luella locked herself in her room for as long as I could tell, because when I had left I knew she was going to go there. Whatever there was.

I felt sick just thinking about it. I couldn't imagine how she felt in there.

"Your pathetic, Draco." She finally says.

"Malachi is the pathetic one." I reply, looking back out to the mountains. "What are you doing spending your time with a Gryffindor half-blood, anyway?"

She replied instantly, hatred back in her voice like it had never left. "What, are you going to tell on me?"

I roll my eyes at her stupidity. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you, Luella."

"Prove it to me, then." She finally spits. "Give me proof you didn't do it."

"I can't." I say lowly.

She backs away from the railing, throwing her hands in the air out of anger. "Exactly. Because you did it."

I turn around, still leaning on the railing. There was no point in getting angry. I had already fought with her about this multiple times. I just watched her, pacing.

"Why did you even do it? I didn't do anything to you. Ever. Why would you ever-"

"I didn't do it, Luella." I say firmly, trying my best not to raise my voice.

Luella was different from everyone. She didn't care to stand up to me. I could make anyone be at my feet in a matter of seconds, but she kept fighting no matter what happened. She annoyed the living shit out of me. It made me so angry how she talked to me.

But a part of me enjoyed her backtalk. I found it amusing most of the time. I found everything about her amusing. Her laugh, which I haven't been the cause of since that night at the library, I think. I ruined whatever relationship we had started.

Without even doing anything.

But I looked guilty.

I don't even know why I took the photo in the first place. I had seen the picture stick out of the frame in her room, I decided to give it a look while Astoria and Seraphina were busying themselves doing other things. It was impulsive of me; I thought it'd be amusing to have the blackmail over her, even though I had nothing I wanted from her. It was actually quite shocking to see the photo. I would have imagined she was too afraid of her parents to ever spend time with the Weasleys.

Ever since she was sent back there, though, her fear seemed to have been gone. She didn't sit with us at meals anymore, she paid no attention to people she used to just because it would make her parents happy. Including me. She seemed happier, even. She talked to Gwen Mournwind, a half-blood, who was at least in Slytherin, but she also was always with Malachi. Thankfully the little common room incident I haven't seen them talking half as much, but it still bothered the shit out of me whenever I did. Luella had some sort of control over me, and it made me hate her even more.

"Let's say you didn't. But you still took it." She muttered. "You took the photo from me. To have control over me."

"I was just teasing you, Luella. I was never going to-"

"It doesn't matter, Draco." She sighed, walking back up to the railing. "Just let me know when you have my book, okay?" She looked at me for a moment, her eyes were soft and filled with pain.

Every time she looked at me like that I felt sick. Guilty.

But I hadn't done anything.

"Okay." I say quietly, almost a whisper. We just look at each other for a few seconds. I didn't know what it was, but she seemed to snap back into reality as she blinked out of it and began walking down the stairs.

I just wanted her to believe me. I don't know why. If it were anyone else I wouldn't give a fuck.

sorry for the short chapter my lovelies <3

just wanted to throw in some perspective from dracooo

hope everyone is doing amazing bc u guys deserve it!!