Draw a monster, and then ask yourself: Why is it a monster?
- Janice Lee
"So, if you're not going to talk about it, I will", I told Tracey on our way to supper. I had been sitting on this piece of information all day, since Draco told me during our afternoon cabinet-fixing-session in the Room of Requirement
"I don't know what you're talking about", she shrugged, but the smirk on her face suggested she did.
"Draco told me that you slept in the boys's dormitories last night. Care to elaborate on that, miss Davies?" I said. Draco looked quite distraught this morning, partly because he woke up to a Tracey in the bed next to his, all cuddled up with Blaise. He also had been quite on edge because Katie Bell had returned to school today. He feared that she'd remember him. I had done a lot of research on the curse he had used, though, and it was very unlikely that she would.
"Well, that's because it's Miss Zabini from now on, ladies", Tracey grinned. My jaw dropped slightly at the news.
"Did he finally get the balls to ask you out?" Daphne gasped, a smile on her face.
"No, he didn't, so I thought I might as well do it myself", Tracey shrugged.
"Wait, you asked him to be your boyfriend? Trace, you impress me every day." I prided myself for being quite confident, but I didn't even come close to Tracey's level. She just straight up asked him and apparently it had paid off.
We sat down at the Slytherin table and Tracey threw a cheeky wink at the boy in question. He seemed to be rather pleased with the new developments as well. I noticed the empty seat next to Blaise. Where was Draco?
"Blaise, where's Malfoy?" I frowned. Blaise shrugged, signaling that he had no clue. I felt uneasy for some reason.
DRACO'S POV
I had to find Ellie. I was panicking again and it was worse than before. I just saw Katie Bell in the hallway and she looked my way, I swear she looked my way.
If she remembered anything, I was absolutely screwed. I'd be expelled from Hogwarts and Dumbledore would get the Ministry involved. I'd end up in Azkaban in a cell next to my father. I would be just as big of a disappointment as him.
I waited anxiously outside of the Great Hall for a while, hoping that she hadn't walked in for supper yet. That way I could just take her aside for a while and she could calm me down, like she always did. She'd make sure that everything was okay again.
But she didn't show. I went with a hand through my hair, shaking slightly from the anxious feeling in my chest. I felt like someone was squeezing my lungs whilst punching me in the stomach at the same time. I was so screwed.
I couldn't talk to her freely in the Great Hall, because I knew that Snape was watching me, especially now that Katie Bell was back at school. Maybe just being close to her would be enough. It would damn well be better than standing here in the hallway, feeling like an idiot.
I took a deep, shaky breath and walked into the Great Hall. I noticed her quickly, laughing at something Tracey had said. Her laugh was so beautiful and I could feel my heartbeat slow down a little bit at the sight. I couldn't look at her for too long, though, so I averted my eyes. And I wish I hadn't.
Between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor table stood Katie Bell and she was accompanied by none other than Potter. If he knew, then not only would my school career be over, everything would be. He always ruined everything.
And then Katie looked over his shoulder, at me. And I knew that she knew, I could see that she knew.
I felt a lump in my throat form and my longs refused to let me breathe. I had to get out of here, before I would scream. I couldn't do this, I couldn't handle this pressure.
I turned around, loosening the tie around my neck. I wasn't cut out for this and I would fail, I knew I would. If Katie knew, then I had already failed.
ELEANOR'S POV
"Oh no", I mumbled as I watched Potter talk to Katie Bell. He was on Draco's case again. Kreacher had told me that Dobby had found out about the Room of Requirement, but Potter hadn't found out any specifics. Why couldn't the cockroach just let it go? It was not his life and therefore none of his business.
My breathing stopped as Potter turned around and walked out of the Great Hall. I caught a glimpse of Draco's white hair before he turned around the corner.
"Oh no", I whispered, putting my fork down.
"What's up?" Daphne asked, frowning at my sudden panicked look.
"I have to go. I have to go right now", I said and shoved the book I was looking through in my bag. I didn't care about the stares as I stood up in the middle of supper, speed-walking out of the Great Hall. This could not be good. Draco was already on edge today, I couldn't have Potter send him spiraling again. He didn't have the right.
"For fuck's sake", I mumbled as the hallway outside of the Great Hall was empty. Where had they gone? I closed my eyes momentarily. Where would Draco have gone in a rush? My mind scanned all the possible options. He could have gone to the Great Lake, or the Astronomy Tower, or back to his dorm room.
I was about to head for the lake as I heard a loud bang on the other side of the corridor, coming from the boys bathroom. What in the world were they doing?
"STOP IT, STOP IT!" I head Moaning Myrtle's voice from inside. Where they fighting each other? This could not be good.
Cold sweat pearled on my forehead as I ran through the hallway. I felt so anxious as the worst possibilities rushed through my brain.
I pulled open the door to the bathroom and my eyes grew wide at the sight. The bathroom floor was completely flooded and Moaning Myrtle wailing in a corner. Potter was only a few yards in front of me. And then Draco appeared from a stall, his wand raised.
"Cruc-"
"Sectumsempra!" Potter yelled. A white flash lit up the room slightly, and then there was a whole lot of blood.
This was worse than the worst possibility I had imagined.
I gasped at the sight. Draco froze mid-curse, and I very quickly caught his gaze. All that could be read in his eyes was fear, pure and utter fear. He dropped his wand onto the floor as all colour disappeared from his face. Red stains coloured his white shirt, and then his legs gave out.
"DRACO!" I yelled. I shoved Potter aside and ran over the water-covered floors. I cringed as his body fell onto the floor, completely limb, his blinking eyes the only indication that he was still alive. I stared in shock at the blood that covered his entire chest, not knowing what to do.
"What was that spell?!" I yelled at Potter. He just stood there, eyes wide at the scene in front of him. "WHAT SPELL?!" I yelled louder as he didn't respond. He didn't answer again, but his feet made a U-turn for the door.
"Petrificus Totalus!" I yelled, pointing my wand at him. The boy froze up and fell to the floor, but my attention was no longer on him.
"Draco, Draco, please stay with me", I said and I couldn't hide the shakiness of my voice. I didn't know what to do, I was completely lost.
I ripped open his shirt and was terrified at the sight. His entire chest was covered in cuts, bleeding terribly. I pressed my hands on some of the cuts, but it was no use.
"Draco, please stay with me", I sobbed as I looked around hopelessly. I had to get him to Madame Pomfrey. I had to do something.
"SOMEONE HELP!" I yelled, quickly looking back at Draco. I pressed my hands against his cheeks, covering them with his own blood.
"You're going to be okay, do you hear me? You'll be fine", I said, tears running down my face. He didn't say anything, but he was shaking vigorously and I had never seen him look this pale before. His skin looked almost translucent. I got out my wand again. I had to bandage his chest, it was the only healing spell I really knew. I couldn't help the sob from escaping my chest. Draco, the person I loved most in the entire world was bleeding out in front of me and there was nothing I could do about it.
"Ferula", I mumbled and bandages covered his chest, but soon, those were also covered in blood.
"No, no, no", I sobbed, casting the spell over and over again, tears blurring my vision. This couldn't be happening, it couldn't.
A hand pushed me aside roughly, onto the wet floor. I stared in shock as Snape appeared, looking down at the scene where Draco was still laying, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
"DO SOMETHING!" I yelled at him. I didn't care that he was a teacher, or a Death Eater, he had to help Draco.
He didn't spare me a look, but he did get out his wand and pointed it at his chest.
"Vulnera Sanentur", he mumbled, his eyes focused on the bleeding boy in front of him. I tried to control my sobs and my rapidly beating heart as I watched Snape perform the spell multiple times. Eventually, I noticed how the blood that had stained the water below him retracted, back into Draco's body.
I tried to calm my shaking hands, but they were covered in Draco's blood, which only made me panic more. He had to survive, he had to.
I tried to wash my hands with the water on the floor and tried to scrub off the blood, but I could barely focus. Stars were dancing in front of my eyes as my brain required more oxygen than my shallow breaths had to offer.
"Did you do this?" Snape asked. I looked up to see that all the blood was gone, leaving only some light scars on his chest. He seemed unconscious, though.
"No, of course not!" I snapped at him. "Potter did." I looked to the side where Potter was laying, still affected by the body-lock curse. Snape's eyes looked over at Harry for a while, then back at me, at Draco and back at me. I didn't care that he knew that the hate for Draco was fake. I just wanted him to be okay.
"Get out of here", he said as he picked Draco up from the floor.
"Oh, I don't think so", I said and stood up, wiping the tears from my face. "Where are you taking him?" Snape narrowed his eyes, analysing my behaviour. He didn't say anything, he just walked out.
I stood there for a while, not sure what to do. Moaning Myrtle's cries broke me from my string of thoughts, so I forced my feet to leave the room, leaving me empty inside.
"Eleanor? Eleanor! What happened?" Daphne appeared in my peripheral, followed by Tracey and Blaise. I must have looked absolutely mad, with smears of blood on my face where my bloody hands had wiped away the tears, my cloak drenched in water and my complexion terribly pale. I just needed to know if Draco would be okay.
"Draco", I whispered. "He, he got hurt. Harry Potter, he ..." I couldn't get the words out properly. I felt like I could pass out at any moment.
"Let's get you in the shower, come on", Daphne said, noticing my struggle. She wrapped an arm around my shoulder and guided me towards the dungeons.
"No, I need to check up on Draco, I need to know if he's okay", I protested.
"Madame Pomfrey won't allow you in now, Lea. He's in good hands, I'm sure everything will be just fine." I nodded, my brain slowly going to auto-pilot, as I let her guide me down the stairs, to our dorm.
I was going to murder Harry Potter.