WARNINGS: Graphic sexual scenes (including non-con/rape), Sexuality, Implicit drug use, Explicit drug use, Alcohol abuse, Underage drinking, Self-harm, Depression, Anorexia, Language, Pregnancy (teen)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. Any canon characters or situations are property of J.K. Rowling and her affiliates. I do not make money from writing or posting this story, and do it only for my own and my readers' enjoyment.


Chapter 3 - Truth

December 22

Aria cried on Draco's shoulder for what seemed like forever. As the tears fell, her mind was constantly running. She didn't know why she didn't pull way from him. She knew part of it was that she was just too exhausted. But the other part she wasn't quite sure about... Was it because she was afraid of him? Absolutely not! Was it because she felt pressured with Molly and Sirius standing there? No. Definitely not. Perhaps she was sick of holding it all in and just fell on whoever was closest? That was likely. But her next thought scared her a little. Was it because she liked Draco? She pondered that possibility the longest.

She had found him extremely attractive, in normal circumstances. Really, he was the fucking Prince of Slytherin—he practically dripped sex appeal! With her experience with Avery the night before, though, being "physical" was the last thing on her mind. She still didn't find anything wrong with enjoying the view, though.

She shuddered from the thought of her rape and clung a little tighter to him, surprised when his other arm wrapped around her protectively as well. She unintentionally winced as his arm hit one of her many bruises. He murmured a few words of apology and loosened his grip. Aria closed her eyes and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. This was the first time she'd cried since... probably the age of five or six. Sure, a few tears leaked out when Avery left another mark on her, but that was nothing compared to what she was doing now. Finally, after who-knew-how-long, her eyes dried up. Her breathing was still shaky and her eyes were swollen and red, but the tears refused to flow.

"Gods, I'm sorry," she whispered, pulling away from his shoulder.

He chuckled. "You're apologizing for crying? And I thought I'd heard it all," he mused, his smile light and caring. Aria shrugged in response, leaving his odd change in demeanor to ponder later and reached up to wipe away her final tears with a trembling hand.

"Well, I dunno. That's part of it. But I'm sure there's something you'd much rather do than sit there while someone you hate soaks your shirt with her tears."

Draco's smile disappeared. "You think I hate you?" he asked, tensing up and looking at her with the most sincere expression of confusion and... was that hurt? she'd ever seen on him before. Realizing his rather un-Slytherin-like blunder, he attempted to school his features into a more neutral and blank slate.

She bit her lip and slid away from him slightly, pulling the comforter up to her neck. "Well, you hate my friends. So I guess I assumed I was included..."

He pondered that for a minute, before shaking his head a little. "Well that's just great," he muttered under his breath. Now she'll never even think about giving me a chance, he thought before he could stop it. Taking a deep breath, he met her worried gaze. "I don't hate you," he said softly. She locked eyes with him and nodded, her heart fluttering a bit. Though he had tried to keep his expression in check, his eyes were much easier to read (especially to a fellow Slytherin). She could see a few emotions flickering through his silvery orbs, one of which looked somewhat like hope. Her lips twitched upwards slightly and she looked down at her knees.

They were silent for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Aria took this time to check her mental defenses. Draco was the first to break the silence. He took a deep breath and extended his hand towards her, lifting her chin with one gentle finger. "Aria?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She swallowed, afraid for what she knew he was going to ask. "Yes?" she replied.

He paused nervously. "Will you tell me why you are so upset?" he inquired, just as she assumed.

Her heart plummeted into her stomach. She reached up and laid her freezing hand on his wrist, gently pushing his hand away from her face. "I wish you wouldn't have asked that," she said, her throat constricting and making her voice drop to near-inaudibility.

He shook his head and returned his hand to his lap. "You don't understand, Aria," he said, pleading and persuading. "The others said you came in the middle of the night, just out of the blue. You've lost so much weight. You have a dead look in your eyes. No one can touch you without you either flinching away or wincing in pain. Obviously something is wrong. It's scaring everyone, and as little as I care for them... Well, you're my housemate. We take care of our own, yeah?" Draco ran a hand through his shaggy hair, his own intentions loud and clear to his fellow Slytherin despite his somewhat cryptic response.

His words sunk in, leaving her feeling horrible. Her breathing turned shallow and she wrapped her arms tighter around her knees. She gave him a pleading look, knowing she needed to tell someone about what happened but she didn't know how. Plus, she just couldn't find the right words. His eyes softened and he moved towards her, his arms open in invitation. Immediately, she slipped into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder.

Draco subtly inhaled her scent, unsurprised that he had to sort through the smell of liquor and Muggle cigarettes and probably other recreational drugs to get to her intoxicating scent underneath. Aria always seemed to smell somewhat... fruity and floral at the same time to him. It wasn't too fake or overpowering, somehow mingling with her natural, very faint musk to blend seamlessly into a scent that was so uniquely her own. Though it was new and maybe a bit odd to have another human being pressed against him so intimately (sex to him was just that- sex, no emotions or cuddly things involved), the feel of the contact was comforting and even empowering. He felt proud knowing he was helping someone who actually mattered.

Within a few seconds of curling up against him, words were spilling from her. She told him all about Avery, his abusiveness, and finally the events of the previous night. He stayed thoughtfully silent, listening intently as her words flowed. She spoke almost too quickly to understand at some points. Aria took a deep breath when she had run out of words and waited for his reaction. Draco merely rested a hand on her lower back and rubbed soothing circles. She pulled away from him and looked up in his icy grey eyes.

"Draco, say something..." she begged weakly.

His storm-colored eyes revealed how infuriated he was. "He's going to regret it," were the only words that came from him.

Aria shook her head. "No," she insisted, her voice surprisingly strong. "No one is going to touch him."

Confusion crossed Draco's face. "How can you do that? He's been so horrible to you, done all of these unacceptable things. And yet you stick up for him? You want to protect the son of a bitch?!" She swallowed, backing out of his arms as his temper flared. Obviously she had learned her lesson from Avery.

Noticing his blunder, the teenaged boy panicked. "Oh, Gods. Aria, I'm so sorry," he blurted, reaching out to touch her arm. She bit her lip and leaned away from him. He sighed sadly and pulled his arm back. "Way to fuck it up, Draco," he said under his breath.

She sighed and looked away from him. "It's not your fault," she murmured. Slowly, she returned her gaze to him and moved to set her hand on top of his. Tingles shot up her arm, making goosebumps rise on her skin. His breath caught in his chest, feeling the same sparks.

"I need to watch what I say," he said after a pause, still not forgiving himself. "But you know that I need to tell the others what you told me, right?" he asked, meeting her abnormally-vibrant green eyes.

Tears welled in her eyes and she chuckled humorlessly. "I should've known," she muttered.

He flipped his hand over, squeezing her frigid hand comfortingly. "Everything's going to be alright," he whispered, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. A light blush colored her cheeks, the color obvious on her pale skin.

"Thank you Draco," she murmured, a small smile flickering across her lips, but disappearing as quick as it came.

He only stared at her for a moment, only catching himself when she started to fidget unconsciously. "You called me Draco, but everyone else calls me Malfoy," he explained, his tone a mix of surprise and wonder. "Only a few people call me that, and they're mostly family," the boy mused.

She blushed again. "I hope you don't mind," she replied nervously.

Draco let out a breath of a laugh, the sound still deep and genuine. It was very unlike the cruel sneer she was used to when he insulted her friends. "No," he said after a minute. "I like it... a lot."