𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝐃.𝐌

Chapter Twenty-two

DIAGON ALLEY HAD CHANGED. Every shop Eden loved, was either boarded up or hidden underneath large Ministry of Magic posters, which had been pasted up on the windows. With the rainy, cloudy weather that hung overhead, it almost seemed as if she was walking down Knockturn Alley instead.

Almost everyone that Eden passed looked anxious or hurried and nobody was shopping alone. Small groups ran haphazardly through the street, in fear that Death Eaters might attack at any moment.

"We still have to go to Flourish and Blotts." Harry said. They'd been hanging out all afternoon. It had been like this for two weeks now, just the two of them. They'd basically become inseparable.

Eden nodded and looked at her Hogwarts letter, inspecting the list of books. "I still need the new manual for-"

Harry stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" Eden looked up from her list at Harry. His lips were set in a grim line.

Confused, Eden turned her head to where Harry was looking.

A pale, white-silver haired boy stared back at her and her breath caught in her throat.

Draco.

It was like being thrown into an ice bath. Coldness crept under her clothes, crawling over her skin like beetles.

There was a moment, a few seconds that hung in the air and time seemed to stand still. He stared at her, his grey eyes flickering slightly.

Eden gasped and stumbled backward. It had been so long since she'd last seen him; he looked so different. She remembered his picture in the Daily Prophet and how she'd thought he looked ill. He looked much worse now.

As she stumbled, warm fingers tangled with hers. Her trance broke. She looked up at Harry who was rubbing circles on her palm. He pulled her closer to him, to protect her.

She fluttered her eyes back to Draco's. His gaze was fixed on their entwined hands. His light grey eyes narrowed.

"You better hope that isn't what it looks like, Potter." He snarled, still staring at their hands.

Eden quickly pulled her hand from Harry's tight grip and stared at the ground. Her heart battered in her chest as his words ricocheted inside her eardrums, repeating themselves again and again. Did he still care?

Draco inched closer to her. "What is this?"

Eden looked up at him. His grey eyes tore into hers and she found herself deadly afraid of the ice-cold look in them. She knew how he could react when he gets angry.

Draco gritted his teeth. "Eden-"

Suddenly, Harry jumped in front of her, his wand pointing at Draco. All the air left Eden's lungs. She knew Harry wouldn't hesitate to hurt him and panic flooded over her.

Her hand spasmed towards his wand. "Stop it, Harry. Please." Her voice cracked.

He ignored her. "Leave her alone, Malfoy. Haven't you done enough damage?"

Draco scoffed. "What are you going to do about it, Potter? Curse me?" He laughed. "You'll find yourself reunited with dear Sirius fast enough if you try and hurt me."

Eden watched as Harry's green eyes turned a deep black. She had to do something or this wouldn't end well.

Narcissa Malfoy strolled out from behind Draco. Her eyes were ice cold as they bore into Harry's.
"If you attack my son, it will be the last thing you ever do."

"Really?" said Harry, his wand almost touching Draco's face now.

"Your husband is not here to save you, Narcissa. What are you going to do?" Harry laughed.