Trigger warnings: None
***
The next morning, Athena was finally awake. Harry was sitting in a chair beside her bed, helping her eat her pumpkin soup.
She was feeling a lot better than yesterday, but she still had that dizziness, so Madam Pomfrey told her to take the day off.
The good thing was that she could go back to her room soon.
''You don't have to feed me Harry...'' she said laughing.
He smiled. ''Nope, I insist; you saved my life yesterday. That's the least I can do for you in return,'' he replied, as he raised the spoon with the hot soup to her mouth.
She smiled before eating. ''But are you feeling better?'' she asked, concerned.
''Yes, don't worry, I feel great. It's not like I am not used to this...'' he bitterly laughed.
Athena's expression turned into a sad one. ''I know you've been through a lot for the past years. I can't even imagine...'' she mumbled the last sentence.
''Don't worry,'' he repeated. ''Soon I will make Voldemort disappear from our lives. We will be in a better place,'' he smiled and gave her the last spoonful of the soup.
She half smiled. ''I hope so,'' she lied.
She felt like she was torn between her friends and her calling. Athena never had any intentions of making Voldemort's greatest enemy one of the best friends she ever had.
But she couldn't betray Severus' trust again. She had to leave her personal feelings to the side, and focus on the plan.
''So Harry, do you have any idea about who brought me to the hospital?'' she asked, really eager to know.
Harry looked at her, a confused look on his face. ''You don't remember?''
She shook her head no. ''If I did, I wouldn't be asking you this, would I?'' she laughed lightly.
''Uhm... Well, Ron and Hermione told me that the one who brought you here, was, uhm... Malfoy.''
Athena was in complete shock. ''Malfoy? As we say, Draco Malfoy?''
Harry nodded. ''Yes. The one and only,'' he sarcastically said.
''Well, that's new...'' she mumbled.
''Athena, there's something I've wanted to ask you,'' Harry said after a moment of complete silence. He was not looking at her.
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ''Well, ask away then...''
But before Harry could utter another word, Madam Pomfrey appeared, with professor Dumbledore by her side.
''Athena, Harry! I am glad that you are both well, my children,'' Dumbledore said, as he went closer to them.
''Thank you, sir,'' Harry replied, with a little smile.
''Athena, how are you feeling my dear?'' he asked her.
''I am feeling better, professor,'' she reassured him.
''Great! When you find the time, please come by my office. We need to talk about something really important. Alright?''
She looked at him, a little bit confused. ''Uhm, sure, I'll stop by.''
He smiled. ''Excellent. Now Harry, please come with me, my child. We need to discuss something.''
Harry nodded, and hugged Athena, before leaving with Dumbledore.
''Alright dear, let me check on you before you go,'' Madam Pomfrey smiled warmly at her.
After some minutes, Madam Pomfrey was done with examing her. She also cleaned her wound, and changed her bandage.
''Everything seems alright with you darling. You can go back to your dorm whenever you feel like it. Just remember to change your bandage daily, and take one pill a day from this bottle, for the next week. It will help you with your dizziness. Okay?''
Athena thanked her and got up from her bed, wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. She put her black coat on, took her bag full of her things, and left.
As she was making her way to the Gryffindor Tower, she couldn't wrap her mind around what Harry had told her. Draco Malfoy brought her to the hospital? Well, that was a shock. Since when does he care about her?
If Harry told her that Draco had left her to die at the field that day, it would make more sense to her.
She decided to give no further thought into this. There was nothing sensible with Draco Malfoy anyway.
When she finally got to the Gryffindor Tower, she whispered the password to the Fat Lady Portrait, and got inside the Common Room. It was empty; everyone was at their classrooms right now.
She walked up the stairs, and got to her room. The first thing she did, was to go to her drawers. Opening the first one, she searched for a very specific little box.
When she finally found it, she unlocked it and saw that her locket was still in there. Thankfully, she got it off her before going to the field yesterday.
She put it around her neck and felt better in an instant. She traced it with her fingertips, as she was looking at her reflection in the mirror.
***
Draco was at the Room of Requirement, waiting for Snape.
He was eager to know what he would ask him to do this time. He was growing really impatient. All he wanted, was to finally take action, to do something that it would actually be important.
''You heard me for once and appeared on time,'' he heard his voice say.
He looked at him. ''That's all I've been doing for the past months, with no result,'' he bitterly replied.
''Are you doubting my methods, Malfoy?'' he asked with no expression on his face.
''Just tell me what the hell you want me to do this time.''
''Tomorrow is the day, Malfoy. You are meeting the Dark Lord.''
He smiled evilly. ''Finally!''
Snape looked at him with pity, but didn't say anything. ''The meeting will take place at your Manor. Be there at twelve o'clock sharp. I will make sure to justify your absence to the other teachers.''
Draco huffed. ''Like I care about them,'' he spat.
Snape looked at him intensely. ''You should care, you idiot. This school is your cover. Try not to blow it up."
He couldn't help but roll his eyes. ''Yes, whatever...'' he mumbled.
''Now that we got this out of the way. What happened yesterday at the Quidditch field?'' Snape asked.
''What do you mean?''
''With Potter and that new girl, Van de Kamp. What happened?''
He huffed. ''Why should I know what happened to these two idiots?''
''Because you took the girl to the hospital, as Madam Pomfrey told me. You saw what happened, didn't you?'' he insisted.
Draco's fists clenched to his sides. ''I never did such thing. I have no idea what you're talking about,'' he said through gritted teeth.
Snape raised an eyebrow. ''Is that so?''
''Yes,'' he bluntly said. What was his problem anyway? Why he wanted to know what happened?
''Good. Because I want you to stay away from that girl,'' he warned.
Draco's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ''I just told you, I don't care about her or anyone else. I only care about myself. There's no need to ask me to stay away from her. She can die in front of me, and I won't even flinch.''
''Good,'' he replied again.
''Why do you care so much? She is just trash, another Gryffindor that will be forgotten, as soon as the Dark Lord steps foot into this pathetic excuse of a school.''
''That's none of your business. Back to your class now. And remember what I told you.''
Before Draco could answer, Snape left him all by himself again.
Why would Snape want to know what happened to her, and why did he tell him to stay away from her?
''I will get to the bottom of this,'' he thought, as left.
***
Athena was on her way to Snape's office. The letter he had sent to her with his owl, was demanding her to go there immediately.
She was sure that something serious was going on, so she wasted no time getting there. The door was already open, waiting for her.
''Severus?'' she softly called his name.
He was staring out of the window, when he heard her voice. He immediately turned around and when he saw her, he went over to her, embracing her tight. ''My little girl... Finally, I can have you in my arms. Are you alright?'' he whispered in her hair.
She felt herself relaxing in his arms, she felt safe. Snape was her father after all. Maybe not her biological one, but he raised her. He will always be her father.
''I am... You don't have to worry...'' she reassured him, hugging him back.
''You know I will always worry about you...'' he mumbled. ''Let me look at you...'' he pushed her away gently, looking lovingly at her.
She smiled. ''I am perfectly fine, Severus. Please, don't worry anymore.''
He nodded. ''You are a woman now, my dear. You have grown so much. I am really proud of you. Never forget that,'' he told her.
''I know...''
He smiled at her. ''Now, listen to me. Tomorrow is the next Death Eaters' meeting. And you are coming with me,'' he said with caution, so he could see her reaction.
Athena's eyes widened with excitement. "Finally!'' she exclaimed. ''It was about time!"
Snape looked at her, unsure. He sighed before continuing. ''So, go get your stuff. We will return to our home for now. You'll be back in two days. Go tell Granger and everyone else that you are going to The Netherlands for the weekend, to visit your parents.''
She nodded. ''Sure, I'll go pack my stuff now.''
''Good. Return here as soon as possible. Go,'' he told her.
She hugged him one last time, and run to the Gryffindor Tower. Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the Common Room.
''Hey guys,'' she greeted them.
''Athena! Where have you been?'' Hermione got up from her seat and hugged her. ''Are you feeling better?''
''Much better,'' Athena replied. ''I came to tell you that I'll be gone for the weekend. I am going to visit my parents.''
Hermione's expression turned into a worried one. ''But, isn't it dangerous for you to go back there right now? With everything that's going on?''
''Well, it is actually. But I really have the need to see them. I missed them,'' she said, feeling bad for lying to them. But she had to.
''I understand,'' Hermione said. ''Take care of yourself, okay?''
''Of course. I will be back before you know it.''
Athena hugged them all, and after saying their goodbyes, she went to her room. She packed some clothes, the book she was reading right now, and of course her wand.
Changing into something more comfortable, she left her room, and hurried back to Snape's office.
They apparated and got to Cokeworth quickly. She missed her house a little bit.
They went inside together, and she offered to cook something for dinner. Snape went to his office. He said he had to take care of some things.
After the dinner was ready, they sat down and ate in silence.
Athena was weirded out by Snape's behaviour; he didn't seem as eager for tomorrow as she thought he'd be.
''Severus, is everything alright?'' she asked him, finishing her food.
He looked at her. ''Yes. Everything is alright. The real question is, if you are fully prepared for tomorrow,'' he said, narrowing his eyes at her.
She huffed. ''What kind of question is that? You have been helping me prepare for this moment my whole life. I mean, if you don't think I am ready, you should tell me.''
He shook his head. ''No, I believe that you are ready. I just want you to go have a good sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, I need you to have a clear mind.''
''Of course. I won't disappoint you.''
He faintly smiled. ''I trust your word.''
''So, where is the meeting taking place?'' she asked curious, as she was sipping on some water.
He hesitated a bit before answering. ''Malfoy Manor,'' he finally replied.
Athena almost chocked on her water. ''Malfoy Manor? Do you mean Draco Malfoy's house?''
''Yes. Who else's?''
''Is Draco going to be there? Is he going to be a Death Eater as well?'' she asked, her voice low.
''Yes, he will.''
To say that she was shocked, was an understatement. ''You never told me this! What the hell, Severus! Why would you hide this from me?''
He opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by her. ''That's what you were talking about in your office that day. You are helping him!'' she almost yelled. She was really furious.
''Athena--''
''No! No, don't speak, don't say another word to me! Why are you helping that asshole? He treated me like trash since day one! He hates me! Why would you help someone who hates me?''
She couldn't contain herself anymore. Her voice was trembling. She felt betrayed.
''Athena, calm down, let me explain!''
''No!'' she yelled again, getting up from her chair. ''No. I don't want to hear another word from you...'' her voice was soft now, tears were streaming down her face.
She shot him a last hurt look, before running upstairs to her room, and locking the door behind her.
Snape froze in his place, not being able to move. The truth is he was expecting a bad reaction from her, but not at this rate.
He stood up from his seat, and went upstairs to her room. ''Athena, please come out. Let me explain. You took this the wrong way.''
Silence.
"Athena!'' he repeated her name.
Silence again.
He sighed. ''Alright. I'll be in my office if you need me. Take some rest,'' he soflty said and left.
Athena was lying on her bed, hugging a pillow and crying in silence. She felt the urge to get out of this house, and maybe find Malfoy and punch him on his perfectly shaped face.
''Fucking asshole...'' she whispered, before drifting off to sleep.
And that night, she dreamed of him for the first time.
***
Another chapter for you! Things are getting serious, don't you think?
What do you think it will happen at the Malfoy Manor? Can things get any darker?
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Thank you for your reading this chapter♥️
Much love,
Liberty