Warmth hits my cheek as my body begins to stir. My neck is stiff as I turn my head slowly, I open my eyes blinking away the heaviness.
I lift my head away from the crisp sheet beneath my face and look around to see I am still sat in the same chair just bent awkwardly over leaning on the hospital bed.
Draco's legs are stretched in front of me and he sits upright in his pyjamas watching me carefully.
"Ang" he reaches his hand out to my face.
"Fuck off" I slap his hand away and push back the chair, I stand up quickly however I stumble awkwardly from my dead legs.
"Ang don't be like that" Draco leans forward resting his arms on his knees "I am so sorry. I had to do it okay."
I glare down at him grabbing my wand off the floor where it must have fallen in the night "no you didn't. You did not have to fucking drug me."
I turn and walk away heading out of the hospital wing without looking back even once.
I look down at my watch and see that it's five o'clock, looking out of the windows I can see the sun is close to setting so I know it's the evening time.
Great I've missed a whole night and day.
I walk towards the common room my legs dragging heavily, before I can make it there however a strong wave of nausea hits me and I find myself having to run into the nearest girls bathroom.
I stay on my knees huddled over the toilet rim with sweat dripping from my brow, I've read about bad reactions to sleeping draught's before so I'm hardly surprised.
Groaning I lean backwards pulling the chain of the toilet and opening the door of the toilet behind me. I lay down with my back against the floor my legs still on either side of the toilet bowl.
The nausea thankfully seems to have passed, however I stay laying on the cool tiled floor too scared to move. A heaviness is pulling my head down keeping it rooted to the tiles, I stare above me at the white ceiling. A weight is pulling my eyes closed and I feel myself falling backwards through that dark tunnel once again.
"Poor sad Slytherin girl."
I feel a cold wet feeling pass over my cheek waking me from my deep sleep.
"The fuck" my voice comes out in a deep croak as I open my eyes. They take several seconds to adjust to the darkness in the bathroom.
I push myself up into a seated position to see Moaning Myrtle sat opposite me with her legs crossed.
"Myrtle" I nod at her as I rub the sleep from my eyes "how long have you been there?"
She giggles "oh several hours. When you sleep you remind me so much of your father."
I raise my eyebrows at her "well that's a horrifying thought thank you." I stand up stiffly "what's the time?"
"Late." She smirks up at me.
"Helpful" I roll my eyes at her and walk from the bathroom attempting to comb down my hair. I look down at my watch and see the golden hands showing that it's nine o'clock at night.
Well I might as well finish my patrol for the evening before going to bed, then I can hand over to one of the other prefects and actually try to sleep in my bed tonight.
I pull my wand out of my pocket and spin it aimlessly between my fingers as I think about Draco. He drugged me last night to sneak off and work on his stupid mission, the mission I have begged him to let me help with.
Not only that but he's made me miss a whole day due to the hangover from the sleeping draught, plus it meant that creepy Moaning Myrtle watched me sleep for hours.
I cross my arms annoyed as I think about Draco and just how stupid his actions are. As I cross over the wooden bridge movement from below catches my eye.
I walk slowly over to the edge of the bridge peering down into the moonlight, two figures are moving quickly along the path to Hogsmeade.
Harry and Dumbledore.
I stay watching them until they disappear around the bend and into the village. Why are they leaving the castle on foot? And why are they leaving at this time of night?
I shock myself as I let out a sharp laugh thinking how it really would be a plot twist to find out they're actually in some kind of romantic relationship.
I shake my head clear of those weird thoughts "I must be delirious or something" I mutter to myself as I turn away from the way they both went.
I look towards the dark castle as a strong need to tell Draco what I just saw passes through me. I start to march quickly along the wonky wooden bridge heading as quickly as I can ti the hospital wing.
As I turn into the infirmary I first see Madam Pomfrey slumped bent over her desk at the back of the ward, even from the other end of the room I can hear her faint snores.
I turn stiffly to look towards Draco's bed, his curtains are drawn but I can see his shadow moving behind them.
I roll the hospital curtain out of the way and stand staring at the boy in front of me.
"What is it with you and drugging people?"
Draco stands frozen his suit shirt half done up, and his eyes wide as he realises he's been caught. He opens his mouth slowly his hands frozen on his shirt buttons.
"Don't" I hold my hand up "just be honest with me and tell me what I need to do to help."
"I'm sorry" his voice is soft as he continues doing his buttons up "I should never have drugged you, I'm sorry I didn't just tell you."
"We really don't have time for that now Draco." I push back the anger simmering within me "I've just seen Dumbledore and Harry leaving the castle on foot."
Draco raises his eyebrows "right. We need to move quickly then." He starts doing his shirt up again as he keeps talking "I need to get to the room if requirement and I need you to go to the common room, pack our things. Just the things we can't replace, and make sure Moody is taken care of."
He moves quickly about the space his eyes darting all over looking for his belongings. It's only when he stops to look at me I can see the mixture of emotions in his eyes.
Fear, anger, desperation, confusion, sadness and guilt.
They seem to flicker within his grey eyes like a slideshow of feelings.
I gulp as I realise just what he means "this is it isn't it?"
Draco nods gravely "this is it. There's no going back now." He pulls on his blazer and grabs his wand from the table. He steps around me and walks two paces towards the exit, he stops and turns back towards me holding out his hand to me "are you with me?"
I stare down at his outstretched hand.
This is it. Dumbledore is about to be killed, everything is going to change. Draco is leaving this hospital wing thinking he's going to have to be the one to do it, but I know he can't be.
It has to be me.
"I'm with you" I clasp my hand in his tightly.
We walk quickly from the wing together hand in hand heading towards the staircases.
"So I'm going to go to the room if requirement, I'm going to get the other death Eaters access to the castle and then go to the astronomy tower." Draco is breathless as he walks quickly and talks at me his eyes focused on the hallway ahead of us.
"When I'm there I'll cast the dark mark, this will mean that when Dumbledore comes back it will be the first place he goes to." Draco squeezes my hand as he leads me through the corridors "change out of your uniform and pack us both a rucksack each or something."
I pull him to a stop and stare at him my eyes hard.
"What?" He raises his eyebrows "we don't have time, what is it?"
"I don't trust you." I pull my hand out of his "I don't trust you aren't planning to cut me out again, that when I get to the common room I'm not going to be trapped or something." I step away from him slightly as all the hurt and betrayal from his actions last night hit me "you fucking drugged me Draco. Just so you could go work on a mission I have only tried to help you with."
"You wouldn't have let me go otherwise." He runs a hand through his hair "am I wrong?"
"No you're not wrong." I furrow my eyebrows at him "but I would have gone for you. I would have done the work for you. When will you fucking realise that we either work as a team or not at all?" I grab his arm annoyed "when will you actually let me be your equal and help you? Not just some accessory you can control?"
"I don't think of you as an accessory I can control."
"Then don't fucking drug me to get your own way!" I realise I'm shouting and look around the empty dark corridors for Filch. Sighing I let go of his arm "I can't do this if I can't trust you."
Draco steps forward his face broken "I am so sorry Angelica, you can trust me. I swear to you, you can trust me. I need you to trust me. I love you so much and you are right, we can't work if we aren't a team. I need you."
"From now on, we are equals who make the decisions together okay?" He smiles at me softly "we trust and work together, no deceit and no lies."
I nod my head once "okay."
"I'll meet you at the astronomy tower as soon as I can." He steps forward grabbing me tightly and pulling me against his chest, his arms wrap tightly around my waist as he breathes me in. I slowly wrap my arms around his neck burying my head into his shoulder.
"I love you" I whisper into his ear as we pull away slowly.
"I love you more" he kisses me on the forehead once before running up the moving staircases heading towards the room of requirement.
I let out a long shaky breath as I realise I may have just agreed to something I can't promise. Draco said we are going forward with no deceit but that isn't true, he still thinks he is going to be the one to kill Dumbledore but I will do everything I can to stop that. Even if it means over powering Draco.
I begin to run towards the common room my feet pounding heavily against the stone floor, my legs burn from the sudden burst of exercise and I fly down the stairs at a dangerous speed.
I burst through the entrance of the common room my eyes scanning the area, thankfully it seems the summer heat has made everyone tired as the whole common room is empty.
I cross the room towards the dorms when a familiar meow catches my attention, I freeze and look to the large black arm chair in the corner to see Moody stretching out his legs, his blue piercing cat eyes studying me.
"Oh thank Merlin" I run towards him grabbing him up into my arms and heading towards my dorm "I'm glad I found you buddy." I scratch behind his ears as I open the door to my dorm quietly.
All of the curtains are drawn and the room is pitch black, I struggle to rearrange Moody in my arms as I pull my wand out muttering a quick "lumos" as I point it around the room.
"Pansy" I pull the cord around her bed causing the curtains encasing it to open up. I place Moody down onto her feet as I shake her awake roughly "Pans wake up."
"Mhhm" she squints at my wand light pointed right at her face "what is it Ang?"
I realise just how out of breath I am as I stand over her panting "it's Moody. I need you to take him for summer, maybe even longer who knows what's going to happen. But I need you to take care of him okay? You need to take him home with you in his cage, feed him and make sure he's getting enough attention." Tears pool in my eyes as I look down at the little grey cat in front of me "promise me you'll take care of him please."
Pansy sits upright as she takes in my expression, she picks up Moody from the end of her bed and cradles him in her arms. She smiles at me her face still very confused "of course I will. I'll take him home with me, my sister will love him."
She watches me for several seconds "is there anything I need to worry about right now? Are you in danger? Is the school?"
I let out a long breath "potentially, but it should be okay. Just if you hear anything tonight, anything like trouble make sure you take care of the younger ones okay? Keep then in the common room where it's safe."
She looks at me her eyes wide "okay, you be safe as well okay?"
I nod sadly "I will try. I need to pack some things now but if anyone asks you didn't see me."
"Of course." She reaches up for the curtain toggle "stay safe Ang." She pulls the cord and the curtains around her bed close slowly, Moody watches me his blue eyes never leaving mine until the thick green curtain separates us.
I turn and point my wand at my bedside table picking up my rucksack from beneath my bed, I tip it out onto the bed emptying the books and cardigan from it. I grab quickly at the things belonging to my mum that I've received over the years, the books Cedric gave me, the jewellery Blaise gave me and the drawings from Poppy from years ago. I shrink them all done inside my bag and begin to shove random bits of clothing in there also.
As quickly as I can I peel my sticky uniform off instead changing into a pair of denim shirts and an oversized pull on tracksuit jumper that belongs to Draco.
I shove a few pairs of underwear in my rucksack before zipping it up and throwing it across my back. I run quickly across the hallway to Draco's dorm opening the door as carefully as I can whilst still trying to hurry.
Crabbe and Goyle's snores echo around the nearly empty dorm as I reach for Draco's travel bag. I grab his journals from his bedside, his pictures of his parents, his gifts and presents and his most valuable items he keeps beneath his bed and shove them all in shrinking them down also. I then grab at his clothes grabbing what I can before running from the room. My rucksack hits at my back and his hold-all slips in my sweaty hand as I run across the castle the wind blowing in my hair.
I pull open the door to the astronomy tower and climb the spiral staircase my heart in my ears. Finally I reach the top of the tower and walk over to stand at the railing staring up in awe.
A large green writing dark mark twists within the night sky above the castle leaving an eerie glow across the grounds.
I feel my throat tighten as I look up at the mark, I grip the railing tighter as my memories from this very spot flood back.
I spent my first Halloween at Hogwarts here with Harry as we mourned James and Lily, then in second year I spent Halloween in the very same spot with Cedric.
It's been my place of safety, my place to escape for several years now. It's been the place where I've felt like I was flying, flying above everyone else and all of my problems. I've always felt higher than everything else when I'm here, but yet now looking up I can see my fathers darkness will always be higher.
I don't have a safe space anymore, that's another thing my father has taken from me.