Mentions of an abusive relationship...
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Aria Rowen
"I ended my relationship with Luke..." Indy half sobbed the words as my eyes grew wide.
"You— you ended things?" My gaze wasn't on her but on the growing bruise.
"Mhm..." She continued to cry as I wrapped an arm around her and leaned her head on my shoulder.
I whispered small affirmations to calm her down since most people were asleep and I didn't want them coming into the halls. "It's okay... I'm proud of you... let's get you inside."
She nodded as I helped her up and pulled my wand from my sweater pocket. With a quick flick, the door unlocked and we stepped into my dorm.
Without hesitating, she trudged over to my bed and slumped onto the covers.
"I'm so sorry that I came here... Dylan was playing quidditch with Zabini, I didn't know where Jenna was— but then I remembered that you both went on dates..." She tucked her arm under her head and continued to cry. "-no one in Gryffindor would want to talk to me so I just came down here."
"Don't be sorry, I'm always available..." I walked over and sat on the opposite side of the bed as I began to stroke my hand over her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. "What are best friends for?"
Indy gave a pitiful smile and sat up, bringing her knees to her chest once more. "I— I was thinking— about what Dylan and Jenna said earlier—" Her choked voice caused the tears to resurface. "—and I realized that Luke treats me terrible... well, I've always known that I've just been scared—"
"You need to breathe... take a deep breath," She followed my instruction carefully, forcing air back into her lungs as she got a grip on herself.
"I went to his dorm and... I told him that I was tired of it... that I was done."
"He didn't take it well, did he?" I ran my hand along her back as she let it all out and the tears streamed down her bruised cheek.
"N-No. He— he hit me, Aria."
I took note once more of the red skin that covered her upper jawline, thinking of all the ways I wanted to murder Luke Carrow. "I'm so sorry Indy, you didn't deserve any of that." I leaned forward and pulled her into a tight hug.
I let her cry for several minutes until she fell asleep with my arms still holding her in an embrace. The only thing I could hear was her soft breathing, occasionally interrupted by a small sob or cry.
After a few more minutes, I let go of her tired body to lay her back and rest her head on the pillow. I felt awful for all that had happened to her, but she was free now. None of us were going to let him hurt her again.
Usually we'd try and talk some sense into her, but she almost always defended Luke and his actions.
I pulled the blanket up to her neck and brushed her hair away from her face, being careful not to touch the forming bruise.
If I could take care of Indy, that meant I wouldn't have to focus on Draco.
I hurriedly changed into a pair of shorts and an old quidditch t-shirt that Dylan had let me borrow— even though I never returned it. It was fair because she still had plenty of my belongings so we basically shared a closet.
It was late, and I couldn't keep from yawning as I sleepily trudged my way back to the bed and crawled in next to Indy. My head barely touched the pillow before I fell asleep out of pure exhaustion.
•••
An entire week went by.
Indy refused to go to classes out of fear that she may see Luke, considering that their schedules were practically the same.
She allowed me to fill Jenna and Dylan in on the events of her breakup, which only resulted in both of them wanting to murder Carrow even more than they previously had.
Indy didn't leave my dorm, and I allowed her to stay. She was so paranoid to sleep alone in her room, though I didn't know what she was afraid of. She stayed with me all week, only leaving on certain occasions to go and get something to eat, otherwise I'd just bring her meals to my room.
I'd barely even seen Draco this week, but I devoted most of my time to making Indy feel better about the long-overdue breakup since it took my mind off of everything currently going on in my personal life.
Indy was currently asleep in my bed.
I was tired— but it was the kind of exhaustion that felt as if you could never fall asleep no matter how hard you tried to.
After trying to rest for what was probably the fourth time tonight, I stood up and pulled a large sweatshirt on to go with the tank top and leggings I was already wearing. I slipped on a pair of shoes before exiting my dorm and making my way past my fellow Hufflepuff's rooms.
Once I was out of the common room and in the basement hall, I crept across the floor slowly until I reached the stairs. The last thing I needed was to be caught by a lurking professor or house elf.
I reached an empty corridor that I knew led upstairs and into the Astronomy Tower. I had nothing better to do, so why not?
After ascending the tall stone staircase, I reached the platform surrounded by a metal parapet. An icy wind blew past me and my body was instantly struck by the cold.
"-didn't know that you came up here..."
I almost jumped as someone called out to me, and once I turned around I saw that it was only Draco.
"I usually don't," I refused to look at him as I walked over to the far side of the tower platform and placed my hands on the railing, looking out onto the grounds of Hogwarts.
A few seconds late I felt a hand on my back as Draco appeared behind me.
I inhaled sharply and tried to ignore his presence, but he only became more persistent to get me to talk to him as he ran his hand along my side before wrapping an arm around my waist.
"Draco-"
"I'm sorry, Aria. I really am," The words came out broken as he whispered them into my ear, sending chills through my body that weren't caused by the cold.
"For what?" I took a deep breath and kept a calm front.
He sighed and set his chin on my shoulder. "For everything. The way I treated you— I'm just— I can't—"
"If you won't tell me how you feel, then this won't work, Draco. It never will," I spun around so that I was facing him, my face only inches from his own as he gazed down at me.
"I want to talk to you— I just— I can't. I can't force myself to talk to you. I don't know why it's so hard..."
"We're all broken, Draco. War does that to people..." I looked deeply into his eyes as he longingly stared into my own. "I want you, but only if you want me back."
"Of course I want you— fuck. Aria, I've wanted you ever since I met you," His lips crashed onto mine as I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck and brought him closer.
I hadn't been willing to admit it, but I was sure I'd also wanted him ever since I'd met him at the beginning of the school year. Slytherins and Hufflepuffs usually didn't get along— nonetheless hold friendships. Me and Dylan were just a rare case.
He backed my body up until I was pinned against one of the stone walls as he continued to kiss me.
His hands trailed over my body, demonstrating and further proving that this was how Draco showed his emotions— through touch.
I was crazy for him... nothing would change that.
He pulled away, but kept his face close to mine, his lips slightly parted as he breathed deeply. "Why'd you come up here?"
"I-I couldn't sleep... Indy's still staying with me."
"Oh, right," He looked down at the ground, but then back up at me. "You could always... stay with me— only if you want to."
I thought about it for a second before nodding. "Sure."
A small smirk crept to his face and his arms wrapped themselves around my body protectively. "Okay then..."
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A/N- If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive relationship, please don't stay silent. You are not alone and it is never your fault— so please don't be afraid to reach out! My dms and private messages here and on instagram are ALWAYS open if you ever need someone to talk to!