A.N
I know, I know, its been forever and i'm so sorry. I have a million excuses but then no real excuse at the same time and i don't really know what to say for myself other than thank you to everyone who has read this so far and just for your peace of minds i am NOT abandoning this story, i just procrastinate like a pro. Shout out to my sister though who unbeknownst to me had made notes on all the plans i had for this story that i had completely forgotten. She's a life saver and had 100% saved this story from ending up in the bin, so big sister award right there. In other news, i started college, which is cool, i turned 16 (finally) and i wrote a book- its only first draft but if i do say so myself its pretty darn good. Also i will be going back and editing this story- btw guys my spelling and grammar is so shit, how have you put up with me? Either way i'm grateful, i will try update soon, thank you all so much for the reviews and favorites and follows and the like, they mean so much to me.
Disclaimer: You know the drill, i own nothing
Chapter 10
"We both know the truth
If it were the real me and you,
This wouldn't be the right thing to do
Now the room is all hazy, we're too lost in the fumes"
Sam Smith- Nirvana
Severus stared down at the figure in the bed, an angry lump forming in his throat the longer he watched. Of all people, he thought bitterly.
Reaching down he brushed away a stray curl that had fallen over her cheek when they had moved her into the hospital bed. There was an unmistakable tugging feeling in the pit of his stomach and though it had been years since he had felt this particular emotion- 12 to be exact- Severus could have placed it anywhere. The young girl was loud and annoying but she was persistent. She had beaten his walls down one smile at a time and as he looked down at his Goddaughter lying still in the hospital bed, he felt the dull ache of love clench at his heart.
This was of course a completely different love than the one he had felt for his late best friend. It was more... fatherly. The thought caused Severus to pause. He had been working with children for a depressing amount of time and never had he felt more than inconvenienced by their presence. Even Draco had always had a little too much of Lucius in him for Severus to tolerate and yet he felt he could relate to the girl. His Goddaughter lived a lie everyday of her life and he knew what that was like. He knew what it was like to keep secrets. The toll it took on you mentally. The thirteen year old girl in front of him had gained such respect from him that only few had ever achieved.
"It's just dreadful, this whole business" Severus lifted his head to watch the medi-witch walk toward the bed her face worn- as if she had aged five years just standing next to Hesperia or Hermione- Severus still found himself confused as to what to refer to her as in his head. If I'm not mistaken she's taken to the nickname Mia quite quickly. Maybe she was getting confused as well? He couldn't help but feel he had hit the nail on that one. He would not be surprised in any sense of the word if his Goddaughter had chosen to be called Mia among her friends on purpose. To keep a constant within her ever changing world.
"I can't say I disagree" he drawled back and the medi-witch eyed him carefully, as if wary of how to word her next sentence.
"You seem very fond of the young witch"
"Do I?" Severus replied, his voice void of any emotion.
"I don't think I've ever seen you look so concerned"
"Well she is my best student, annoying and overbearing yes, but perhaps the best student I've ever had"
"Hell must have frozen over, my word Severus was that a complement, towards a Gryffindor!" Snape's sense of ease in the room vanished at once as he turned to glare at Professor McGonagall who had plastered a look of shock on her face.
"Let's not forget I called her annoying and overbearing" Severus growled and Minerva nodded, a barely concealed smirk playing at her lips. Snape nodded in acknowledgement at Dumbledore as he swept past him towards the bed with the Ravenclaw student. Lockhart, as always, was babbling in the doorway about potions and cures and Flitwick was glaring up at the red head like he was the biggest idiot he had ever met. Which was quite possible. Gilderoy Lockhart was unbelievably tedious.
"Of course" Minerva said, a twinkle to rival Dumbledore's in her eye as she moved into the room. The sparkle was short lived though and she looked her years as she stared down at the young Gryffindor. "My poor girl" the whisper escaped her lips almost unknowingly as she stared entranced at the bushy haired girl. Eventually all the adults in the room found themselves gathered around the young witch's bed, all with sullen looks in their eyes.
"She had this in her hand when we found her" Severus said raising the mirror that had been clasped in the girls hand when he and Madame Pince had walked out of the Library and stumbled across the two students. The Professors all stared intently at the mirror trying to piece together what sort of significance it held, if any at all.
"Hermione Granger doesn't seem the type to carry around a Mirror with her, I must say" Flitwick voiced what they were all thinking and they let their gazes fall back on the Gryffindor.
"Perhaps it belonged to the other girl, Penelope Clearwater" Gilderoy said, for once adding something useful to the conversation.
"That would make sense... but why was Miss Granger the one holding it if it belonged to Miss Clearwater" Minerva asked and Severus racked his brain for links between all the students that had been attacked. Why was the mirror significant? Colin Creevey had been looking through his camera, Justin had been with nearly headless Nick-a ghost. Then of course there was Mrs. Norris. Severus tried to picture that first night in his head but so much had been happening he found it hard to piece together a clear image. It was times like these he understood why the headmaster kept a Pensive so close by. Think he willed himself... there had been writing on the wall... students in the halls... the cat swinging on the hook... he was missing something. He remembered being annoyed with Lockhart and his incessant babbling and being frustrated about his robes getting wet because of the water on the floor. Wait... what about the water?
"Is it possible" he spoke slowly his eyes meeting Dumbledore's "That whatever the monster is... getting petrified, is the result of looking at it indirectly? The water; the camera, the ghost, the mirror. It's possible... that all the victims had not actually lain eyes on the monster." as he finished speaking a small gasp escaped McGonagall's lips and Severus imagined she had come to the same conclusion that he had.
"A Basilisk" Poppy whispered wide eyed and the temperature in the room seemed to drop tenfold.
"Miss Granger must have worked it out." Flitwick murmured and all the Professors looked down at the girl with new found respect in their eyes. Severus couldn't help the pride that surged through him.
"She saved Miss Clearwater's life" McGonagall smiled slightly and the silence afterwards seemed to drag on. Snape looked up at Dumbledore and sickening feeling settled inside him at the small smile that played at the old man's lips. He was stood at the end of the bed watching them all as if they were a play. His twinkling eyes met Snape's and a horrible realization ran down Severus spine when he noticed no traces of shock at the recent revelation on the man's face. He knew. He had known it was a Basilisk this whole time and hadn't done anything about it.
Straightening his spine Severus fixed the headmaster with a glare. "What do we do now?" he asked but Dumbledore stayed silent.
"We have to evacuate the school" McGonagall stated but Dumbledore just shook his head.
"That is hardly necessary Minerva"
"What in heavens do you mean it's not necessary? There is a basilisk roaming the halls" She growled back, lowering her voice towards the end part.
"I have everything under control, I assure you." Snape could feel himself started to nod as he listened to Dumbledore's rumbling voice- so confident and demanding. "What I ask of you is your silence in this matter. I do not wish to alarm the students or their parents with something that is sure to cause an unnecessary panic. I promise you that I know what I am doing" his soft reassuring words seemed to calm the Professors somewhat. His voice melodic... hypnotic. Snape's back suddenly stiffened and he felt all the hairs on his arms stand on end. The glare he fixed the headmaster with was nothing short of lethal.
"I'll go and get Mr Potter and Mr Weasley. I'm sure they would like to see her" McGonagall nodded eventually and one by one the Professors shuffled out of the infirmary. All but Severus. Dumbledore fixed him with a calculating stare and Severus felt the unmistakable pushing at his mind. His glare hardened and Dumbledore let at a soft huff. Rummaging in his pocket Dumbledore pulled out a small yellow sweet before popping it into his mouth. Pulling out another, he held it out towards Severus.
"Lemon Drop?" he asked (as if he hadn't just tried to force his way into Severus's head) his eyebrows raising and Severus felt his hands twitch in annoyance. The old man had known the entire time what kind of danger the students were in- Severus had no doubt- and he had chosen to do nothing about. Just as he was choosing to do nothing about it now. Whatever grand plan he had, Severus hoped it was a good one because he wasn't convinced. All he knew was that the headmaster was playing a dangerous game. When you play chess, you eventually end up losing a pawn, Severus couldn't help the wave of dread that came over him at the thought. Sighing once more Dumbledore placed the sweet back into his pocket before sweeping out of the room without another word. For a long moment Snape just stared at the wooden doors before he turned to Poppy.
"I don't think I need to remind you of another situation the Headmaster had 'under control' that went badly. Do I?" Poppy pursed her lips in return. If there was one thing she would never forget, it was the night her Infirmary doors had been slammed open to allow a sixteen year old near-unconscious, hook nosed Slytherin through the doors, how blatantly terrified Severus had looked... how horrified Remus had been when he woke the next day and heard what he'd done. The injuries James Potter had endured trying to keep the wolf away from Snape- though he refused to disclose how he managed such a feat- and a young Sirius Black, looking like his whole world was collapsing around him. Over the years, Poppy had grown used to the broken limbs and stray curses but she would never get used to the mental trauma some of the students had been through. To see a child cry, not out of physical pain but from the overbearing harshness of reality and all of its cruelty was one thing she had never grown accustomed to.
"I'll take good care of her Severus" She answered eventually and with a curt nod Severus gave Mia one last glance before marching out of the room. He needed to find Draco.
On the other side of the castle two young Gryffindors were making their way down the halls when the news fell on their ears. A solemn looking McGonagall asked the boys to follow her to the infirmary but the two had already sped ahead. Weaving their way through the crowded halls to reach their friend, both lost in a panic. It wasn't long before the entire Gryffindor tower knew and it was a quiet evening in the common room. The missing presence of the young witch and her two comrades blatantly obvious in the Gryffindor's eyes. Fred and George struggled to drag smiles onto their faces and the unusual somberness of the infamous Weasley twins seemed to pull down the mood of everyone in the room. But as was always the way in Hogwarts, once the Gryffindors knew it wasn't long before news spread to the Ravenclaws and then in almost record breaking time the Portraits were rushing from frame to frame to spread the gossip. Severus had never stood a chance of reaching Draco- Hogwarts was no place for secrets.
"You'll never believe what's happened" Pansy shrieked, waltzing her way through the Slytherin common room to the black leather sofas situated by the fire place where Draco and his friends were often seen lounging. Blaise, ever the gossip, fell right into her trap.
"Well, don't beat around the pumpkin patch, tell us" he said smiling with barely contained excitement at the prospect of new gossip. Draco watched on with a small smile and made a note to hire Blaise the minute he took over his father's business. Blaise knew everything about everyone, and if he didn't then he made it his mission to find out. It was actually scary how he could name any student in the school, then tell you all of their exes, their current boyfriend/girlfriend and who their potential love interests were. I should have known he'd recognize my crush a mile away Draco thought bitterly as Pansy grinned down at the group, clearly savoring the amount of attention she had on her. Pansy knew when they'd start to get disinterested though and just as Theo sighed and let his eyes flit back to the pages of his book, Pansy's voice rang through the air, stealing Draco's breath away with a few simple sentences.
"There was another attack, turns out the golden trio isn't much of a trio anymore. About time they got that Mudblood Granger, don't you think Draco" she cackled merrily and threw herself down onto the couch next to Draco, looking up at him. She got no answer, for Draco felt like he had just been stabbed in the stomach. His hands shook as he tried to listen to everything Pansy was telling Blaise, who had demanded a proper explanation almost immediately. None of the previous attacks had ended in death but what if... Every fiber of his being was telling him to get up. To go to his sister, to make sure she was okay and not leave her side till she was better, but he was rooted to the spot. Pure shock was keeping him stuck to the chair and he had enough sense to be grateful, he knew he couldn't go running to her in front of all these people, not if she was okay, but that was slowly starting to seem less important with each ounce of weight that was steadily settling on his shoulders.
His hands shook in his lap and he tried to shake the image of his Mia not moving... of his twin sister not breathing from his mind. Bile rose in his mouth and he tried to ignore the sharp pain that was forming in his chest. His throat ached from the strength it took for him bite back a threatening sob and it took all his will power to swallow the lump and try to find his voice. Vision blurred and fists clenched in an attempt to hide the violent shaking that was taking over his body he found himself clearing his throat slightly, interrupting whatever Pansy had been saying, and plastering the best smirk he could on his face as he addressed the group. His normal arrogant facade hiding the turmoil and panic raging inside his head. "Did the heir finally get it right this time and actually kill the Mudblood" he could feel the his mouth dry up as he uttered the words and it took every ounce of will power he had in him to try and keep the wavering smirk on his face.
"No still just petrifying people, next time though, I'm sure" Pansy grinned before turning back to Blaise who had already changed subjects. Something about one of the Weasley's girlfriends being the other victim but Draco didn't care. The relief he felt coursing through him was short lived and he could feel his breath start to shorten the longer he sat there. It was as if his very core was shaking, he could feel his magic seeping through his veins, screaming to be released. The build up of pressure was like nothing he had ever experienced and he wondered briefly if any of the others could tell. If it was obvious that his magic was suddenly not completely in his control. The feel of unease it caused him was almost enough to stop the shaking. Almost in a daze he let his eyes roam around the group wondering if any of them were witness to the chaos ensuing before them or if they were all oblivious.
His eyes flickered from Blaise's face to Daphne's before settling on Theo and what he saw there shocked him. The book Theo had been reading was now lying upside down on the ground and the Slytherins hands were shaking violently. His eyes trailed up to meet Draco's and the worry and panic in them took Draco's breath away. He wondered if that's what he would look like had he been given the privilege of actually being able to openly show fear over his sister's well being.
Just as he was about to voice his curiosity to Theo's reaction the boy started to rise, leaving the book where it lay on the ground, he turned to the group seemingly lost in a trance. "If it's all the same to the rest of you, I'm going to go see if she's okay" his voice was almost vacant as he stared down blankly at the shocked faces of his friends.
"Why on earth would you do that?" Pansy half laughed, as if unsure if Theo was joking or not.
"We study together, she... she's my friend, I want to see if she's okay" as he spoke the words his voice got stronger until he was glaring down at them all with a look that dared them to argue with him. Draco could feel shock mask his features but mingled in with his surprise was unmistakable respect. For the fact that Theo had befriended Mia in the first place, for the fact that he was going to see her even when it would have been easier for him to just wait for the rumor mill to do its job. Draco could feel his magic begin to settle and his hands finally stilled.
"Sure dude" Blaise answered before Pansy could get a word in and when Pansy went to protest Daphne flicked her on the side of the head. As the two girls bickered Theo nodded slightly before making his way out of the common room. Draco watched his retreating form and before he knew it he was on his feet. "Draco, where are you going?"
"To talk some sense into that blood traitor" He snarled, rushing away before he could hear their cries of protest. It wasn't long before he had caught up to Theo and fell into step by his side. For a long moment the pair walked in silence before Theo eventually spoke up.
"I know you don't like Muggleborns Draco... but she's my friend... and you would probably get along with her really well if you gave her a chance. You know... you know there's nothing wrong with her, don't you?" Theo spoke quickly as if worried Draco would try to cut him off, his voice cracking slightly towards the end, just waiting for Draco to rip into to him, to call him a blood traitor and a Muggle sympathizer, of course, Draco didn't. He just walked silently at his side and tried to bite back a smirk at Theo telling him he would most likely get along with Mia. Well of course I would, I'm her brother, Draco thought sarcastically. Draco sighed as he tried to figure out what to say next. Eventually, he just settled on the truth.
"Theo, I am going to let you in on a little secret" Draco answered eventually and he paused, unsure whether to continue when Theo's head snapped to look at him, his eyes telling him to continue. "I don't hate Muggleborns." Draco stated and he could almost feel the skepticism radiating off of his friend, sighing he shook his head before trying another tactic, his silver eyes shining with every word "Harry Potter I hate. And all those ridiculous red heads... I hate Longbottoms stupidity and the general disrespect and idiocy the Gryffindors tend to emit. I hate the Professors that play favorites to the other houses and I hate Berty Bott's Every Flavour Beans. But Muggleborns? I don't hate Muggleborns. I'm meant to though and if my father ever knew that I didn't agree with his views i'd be beaten from here to Texas... Have you never heard the saying 'All the worlds a stage'? It's an act Theo, it's all an act"
He hadn't meant to say the last part, but once the words were out he realised how true they were. He was an actor, playing a role he hated because he'd signed the contract without reading it. Nothing in his life made him feel stable. His friends didn't, though he couldn't really blame them for that, they only knew the hatred he was forced to portray and that was his parents fault, Merlin his parents? Where did he start... he was so busy walking on eggshells around his father all the time he was never able to let his guard down and his mother... his mother was weak. She allowed his father to rampage around their home abusing their house elves- abusing him. The only time she had ever tried to stand up for Draco had been the first time his Father had hit him and she hadn't tried since. She didn't fight for him- not the way Mia would, but Mia was so wrapped up in the messed up world their parents had forced her into that it was unfair of Draco to rely on her. She was always moving... always changing- unstable. She was unstable... and so was he.
The only time he had ever felt grounded, felt one hundred percent sure of who he was the day he had realised he was gay. The day he saw Blaise for the first time and felt his heart flutter in the unmistakable feeling of attraction. When he stumbled upon a paragraph on homosexuality in an old book and finally understood why the idea of kissing Daphne made him feel sick but the idea of kissing Blaise... well didn't. All his life he had been terrified that he would grow up to be his father but in that moment he had realised that he never would, because his father could take everything from him, but who he loved? That was Draco's choice. That's why it hurt so much when Blaise had brushed him off. Draco had felt secure in the made up world he had created where Blaise would like him back.
He had created this fantasy romance in his head and unknowingly Blaise had kept him grounded. Kept him sane… but that had been stolen from him too and now he was falling off the top of the Astronomy tower and he desperately needed someone to catch him. He needed someone to make him feel grounded. Draco found it funny at times, Mia was so independent, she read stories of Princes sweeping Maidens off their feet and yet she had never once wished for a knight in shining Armour. Instead she made it so she was her own knight and here Draco was, willing a prince to come and sweep him off his feet. What would his father say? if he knew that his daughter was a warrior and his son was wishing on stars for a boy to love him.
"If I'm being honest the only person I actually hate in this shitty world is my father" Draco whispered, unable to stop the words, subconsciously rubbing the scar on his arm from his father cane. Their footsteps echoed down the hall as they walked to the infirmary and Theo watched intently as the one person he had always relied on to be consistent, the one person he thought he understood, shed his skin for maybe the first time in front of someone that wasn't his twin sister. Unsure of how to react to the information he was given Theo did the first thing that came to mind, the only thing he could think of to comfort one of his best friends. So hesitantly he reached out and took Draco's hand in his own. The blonde boy kept his gaze forward but a small squeeze of his fingers let Theo know he had done the right thing. And as the sun finally started to set on a day that had started out like every other. Two friends walked down the hall hand in hand, finding comfort in one another as they walked toward their broken friend, unknowing that this journey would be the first of many.
The next morning Draco buried his face in his hands at the breakfast table praying silently to Merlin for the rest of the world to just disappear, he could hear Potter and Weasley laughing all the way from the other side of the room and it was causing his blood to boil. Red faced he raised his head and glared across the room, uncaring of who saw him. The trip to the infirmary hadn't gone quite as Theo and he had planned. It hadn't occurred to either of the two boys that Mia's lap dogs would most likely be there and the fight that ensued when the two Slytherins entered and announced their business was spectacular. Draco however had been the only one to be banned from the hospital wing, (other than when in need of medical services) for being the first to draw his wand. He had also received a weeks detention, lost five house points and that morning Draco had risen with a foul taste in his mouth.
Every minute that ticked by made his skin itch. He hadn't even managed to see Hesperia properly, only catching a glimpse of her unmoving figure before Weasley had started shouting his mouth off. That's one thing Draco would never understand. Everybody in this school let the Gryffindors walk around like they owned the place without them ever having to deal with the consequences. Of all the houses the Gryffindors were the most rowdy and always the first to pick a fight, yet when someone from another house retaliates its their fault. They should just let the Gryffindors shout abuse and walk away- it was a joke. Some of the things Weasley had spat when he noticed Draco and Theo stood by the door had been nothing short of blasphemous but when Draco- furious that he was being kept from his sister- pulled out his wand to attempt a simple binding spell, he had been the one who was out of line.
Draco let his glare land on McGonagall sat up at the teachers table. She had walked in just as Draco had drawn his wand and hadn't hesitated before dishing out the punishments. Snape had come not moments later, just as Draco was being banned from the hospital wing and knowing exactly why that would be the worst thing for Draco with the circumstances at hand, Snape had heroically started bickering with McGonagal. Attempting to convince her that banishment was a bit excessive. It had been futile of course but Draco appreciated it all the same. Theo had managed to calm him down enough so that when they finally returned to the Slytherin common room Draco didnt punch Crabbe in the face when he asked him where he'd been. Instead Draco had marched his way up the stairs and straight to bed. Tired and just desperate for the mess of a day to end.
He had hoped that he would feel better in the morning- he didnt. The weight on his shoulders was steadily growing heavier and all of his friends had taken the unspoken cue not to bother him. Draco was still trying to get his head around everything that had happened; some idiot had opened the Chamber of Secrets in an attempt to 'purify' the school and had consequently put his sister at risk. If he ever found out who the heir was and who was responsible for all of this, he hoped said person knew some good hiding spots.
"What did that spoon ever do to you?" A voice broke through the silence that had surrounded Draco and his eyes snapped from where they had been watching McGonagal refill her coffee cup to see an even more unwelcoming sight. Harry Potter smiled tightly down at him and Draco, choosing not to address the boy properly instead looked down at the spoon that he had unknowingly been trying to break in half whilst lost in thought. Keeping his eyes anywhere but on Potter, Draco chose to completely ignore the boys presence. What he thought he was doing coming over here in the first place Draco didnt know but if Draco wasn't in a good enough mood to socialise with his best friends he definitely didnt have the energy to start a fight with Potter.
"Right so... I wanted to apologise- for Ron." Potter's voice continued slowly as if unsure of whether he should be there or not "He can be a bit hot headed at times." Abandoning his rule not to acknowledge his presence Draco couldn't help but look up at his words. Potter was stood awkwardly on the other side of the table, head bowed and hands tucked up into his sleeves. His eyes flickered up for a moment and met Draco's. A sheepish smile crossing his face as he stared at the pale boy who hadn't shown any change of emotion since he had approached the table.
Draco stared at Harry and Harry stared back. Both of them refusing to be the first to break. It was quickly verging on the brink of awkwardness and eventually Draco cocked his head to the side slightly and let out a low exaggerated sigh before pushing his plate away, rising from the table and turning away. He didnt look back as he left the great hall, if he had, he might have noticed the way Harry's face fell completely in defeat.
The rest of the day dragged on. Classes were slow and so incredibly uninteresting that Draco wondered how all the other students could possibly be finding the will to stay awake. A feat he was failing at miserably with every droning word that slipped out of Professor Binns mouth. Lazily Draco let his head fall gently onto the desk in front of him and it wasn't long before he was drifting off into sleep.
"Hesperia" the word was barely a whisper but Draco could hear it echoing in his head as he snapped his head up to see Daphne staring down at him, her eyes wide.
"You okay, Draco?" Daphne's voice spread through his mind, his head throbbing angrily in reciprocation. Every time Draco blinked all he could see was Hesperia lying still on the bed. He tried to steady his hands, smiling weakly up at Daphne as he struggled to his feet. He noticed immediately that the room was almost empty, meaning that he had managed to sleep through the entire lesson.
"I just miss her" Draco whispered quietly and Daphne reached out to take his hand.
"We all do" She replied softly and Draco felt the uncontrollable urge to yell at her. To throw the desk across the room and march straight to the infirmary. She couldn't understand how hard it was to see your own sister, your strong independent sister, so vulnerable- so weak.
"Yeah I know" he answered eventually trying to keep the annoyance out of his tone. Daphne meant well and he knew the sudden anger he felt towards her was unwarranted, yet he could stop his hands from shaking. "Look I don't want to talk about" pushing up form his chair Draco made to start for the door when a hand on his arm caused him to stop.
"You shouldn't bottle your feelings up Draco, its not healthy. Hesperia would want you to talk to us" Daphne's voice was calm and soothing, a great difference to the way Draco's words came out.
"Don't talk about her, You don't know what she would want, you don't even know anything about her." The words fell from his lips in a wave of fury. His throat felt coarse almost immediately, Draco warily let his eyes meet Daphne's and the shock and hurt staring back at him made him regret his outburst instantly. He knew he shouldn't have raised his voice, knew his exhaustion and grief was no excuse, knew she deserved better. His body didnt seem to be on the same wavelength though and instead of muttering an apology his lips stayed sealed. His gaze dropping to his hands. For a long time silence filled the empty classroom.
"I'll see you later Draco" Daphne's soft voice finally broke the silence and her footsteps echoed through the room like bullets on an empty field. The sound of the door closing shut behind her rang through his head angrily. As soon as Draco was sure Daphne would be a safe distance away he let himself fall back into his chair.
His chest was screaming at him, sharp pains shooting through his lungs causing each breathe to come out shorter than the last. His hands shook violently as he clawed at his shirt, desperate to remove his tie or undo the buttons- desperate to remove the pressure that was steadily beating against his chest. His lungs burned his throat and every breath was harder than the last. It was near impossible to string a single thought together, the image of Mia lying still in the hospital seared itself into the back of his eyelids and Draco found not even the wave of tears that had begun streaming down his face were enough to blur the image completely. Hiccups turned into sniffles and before he knew a single sob escaped his lips.
Draco nearly jumped a foot in the air when a hand came to rest on his shoulder but when his silver eyes cleared enough and he saw the familiar hooked nose of his Godfather Draco relaxed completely, adjusting in his chair to throw his arms around the man who had stumbled across a situation he wished he could have just walked away from without feeling guilty.
"Shhh, It-It's okay" Severus whispered, looking down at the boy who had pieced together a solid mask by the time he was four and had since refused to take it down for anyone but his sister.
"I thought -when Pansy told me- i thought she was dead" the words came out in a mixture of sobs and hiccups and Severus felt his hands clutch closer at the boy, his eyes drawn to the small scar on the edge of the boys hair line. "I thought i'd lost her"
"She's fine, just... asleep. She was helping me with an antidote before the attack. It will be ready soon, before you know it she'll be right back to annoying us all with her intelligence" A spluttered laugh escaped the young boys lips as he raised his head from his godfathers shoulder. Nodding his head slightly Draco focused on bringing his breathing back to normal, relieved to find the pain in his chest had subsided some. Severus gingerly removed his hands from the boy and stood up abruptly. "Right so now that that's cleared up, we're late for dinner"
Had the circumstances been different Draco may have laughed at the awkwardness that his Godfather was exuding, pursed lips, fiddling hands- Draco had never seen the man look so uncomfortable. What made him this way? Draco thought suddenly as he watched his godfather sweep his robe in his usual dramatic manner and head to the door. Just as Severus let his hand fall on the door knob Draco's voice broke through the air.
"Sir... yesterday I got banned from the infirmary for raising my wand at another student, but Weasley- he called my family filth. He said- he said that from what he'd heard- Hesperia was just as filthy as the rest of us Malfoy's, that I should try picturing her in that hospital bed because if i wasn't careful that's where she would end up. I couldn't- how am I meant to let a threat like that slide? Especially considering the circumstances? Why do the Gryffindors always get to antagonize and ridicule people yet still play victim, why is that fair?" Draco gripped desperately at the desk in front of him, so much it hurt. His eyes however, never left Snape's.
For a long stretch of time Snape just took the scene in, it was almost like a replaying of an old memory. He could remember how it felt to grip that desk in fury as he screamed about how unfair and unjust it was that the self titled-Marauders could treat him so cruelly, he could see Regulus stood where he stood now his face full of concern and love and Snape's knees almost buckled under the weight of grief that settled on his shoulders. He knew how Draco felt, knew what it was to stand in those shoes and it was a shitty feeling. Knowing that he could do nothing, just as nothing was done for him, caused his head to hurt and his fingers to curl around his wand subconsciously.
"It isn't."
The two Slytherins made their way slowly down the hall, each footstep echoing around the almost empty corridor, the two of them too wrapped up in their own heads to notice the fuming red head stood at the end of the corridor. Fred stood watching the retreating forms silently as he tried to process what he had just overheard. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop but catching Draco Malfoy crying wasn't something that happened often and Snape comforting him? that was something Fred thought he would never witness. Yet the longer he stood their replaying what he'd just heard the angrier he got. Before he knew it his feet were moving and Fred found himself running through the castle halls toward the Great Hall.
By the time he reached the doors the young Weasley was about ready to walk in there and start throwing punches. But Fred knew he had to talk to George. If what Draco had said was true then this was a delicate matter that needed to be dealt with properly. Fred could already feel a headache coming on from the stress this was going to cause. Pushing the doors open, all heads the great hall turned to watch as one of the happy-go-lucky Weasley twins stormed in looking like he was out for blood.
"Fred?" George asked warily, rising from his seat in the middle of the Gryffindor table but he got no reply instead Fred just grabbed his hand and dragged him to the corner of the room, completely unaware of the amount of eyes that were watching him. "Fred- ow!- dude seriously whats wrong" George grumbled, stumbling into place at Fred's side.
"Our brother is an idiot, that's whats wrong" Fred muttered and George suddenly felt his face go serious.
"What did he do?" George asked, not even bothering to ask which brother would do something stupid enough to make Fred this angry. Worrying his lips George glanced over his shoulder at their younger brother who was sat by Harry's side, the two boys doing a terrible job of hiding the fact that they were staring at the twins.
"Malfoy got banned from the hospital wing last night for raising his wand at Ron right? Remember Harry and Ron, they were talking about it at breakfast, but if what I just heard is true then Ron bloody well deserved it"
"Merlin, what did he say?"
"He threatened Hesperia, told Malfoy if he didnt watch his back it would be her in that hospital bed next... and don't get me started on the irony of that statement"
"Wait- he threatened a Malfoy? of all people he can mouth off too and he threatens a Malfoy- does he even know what this means? How much trouble he may have gotten our family into?"
"Even if nothing happens we cant let this slide Georgie, he needs to learn. We have to tell Percy" Fred could feel his his anger subsiding and his mind clearing. "We need to find out if it's true first, we cant just take Malfoy's word for it"
"Ron will deny it" George grumbled and they both turned to glare at their younger brother, sighing George let his eyes trail slightly until they fell on the bespectacled boy by his side. " but Harry wont" he voiced and the twins gave each other matching smirks before marching toward the table. It didnt take long for Fred and George to make their way round and before he knew it Harry was staring up at the Weasley twins with a nervous look on his face. Seeing those two standing in front of you with folded arms and matching grim expressions (especially after the scene Fred had just caused) was a terrifying sight.
"Harry, would you be so kind as to let us borrow you for a moment" Fred smiled sweetly and Harry threw Ron a questioning glance before nodding his head and rising from the table.
"What are you two up too" Ron voiced suddenly in between bites of mash potato.
"Don't worry, we'll get to you'"George snapped. Ron's eyes went wide at the tone his brother had used on him and promptly stopped chewing.
A few minutes later found the Weasley twins and Harry in a secluded corridor just off of the Great Hall. The scruffy haired boy stared up at them questioningly, by the looks of it he was waiting for the punch line. Waiting for the twins to drop the act and let him in on the joke but unfortunately for Harry they did no such thing. Instead George indicated towards a window ledge where Harry obediently perched himself as he waited for one of them to speak up.
"Okay look Harry, we know he's your mate but we need you to be completely honest with us. Yesterday you and Ron had a fight with Draco Malfoy in the infirmary right? and Malfoy got banned for raising his wand at Ron?"
"Yeah, but i don't see-"
"What did Ron say" Fred cut him off "What did Ron say that caused Malfoy to pull out his wand" Harry's cheeks suddenly flooded red and one of his hands moved to run through his hair nervously.
"It wasn't very nice..." Harry muttered not wanting to meet the twins piercing gazes.
"Tell us" George prodded letting one of his hands rest on the boys shoulder and he was reminded of how much younger Harry and Ron actually were compared to them. With Mia it was easy to forget about the age difference, she had a weird sort of understanding of everything, a maturity and wisdom that you would never have expected from a 13 year old but suited her perfectly.
"He called him filth, said all the Malfoys were. He said that from what he'd heard Hesperia- Malfoy's twin- was just as filthy as the rest of them, that if he wasn't careful it would be her lying in that hospital bed... you know Ron though, when he's angry he says stuff that he doesn't mean"
"That's not the point Harry, the point is what he said could get him into a lot of trouble" George replied, letting his hand fall from Harry's shoulder.
"How? I don't understand?"
"Harry, how much do you know about the Wizarding World? About the families and traditions? About the old ways?" From the blank look on Harry's face Fred realised that the answer was probably very, very little.
"Have you ever heard of the Sacred Twenty-eight Harry?" Fred asked slowly.
"No... I haven't- look i'm confused what does this have to do with what Ron said?"
"It has everything to do with it. There is a lot more to magic then just waving a wand Harry, the Wizarding world has traditions and rules that have been around for generations, that we abide by. Yeah, sure some are outdated and a bit barbaric but its how we do things." George started, looking to his brother who stepped forward and carried on the explanation.
"Harry, if their is one thing wizards value its respect. And certain families- families like the Longbottoms; like the Abbots and the Parkinsons. Like our family the Weasleys and the Potters and the Malfoys- Merlin the Blacks. These families go back generations, to when Wizarding London was nothing like it is today. Our families built the society we live in. There's a reason Draco is always throwing his name around and that's because it means something, his name holds power just like yours does and no matter how much has changed over the years we still respect that- respect each other."
"Fred's right, and what Ron has done by threatening a member of one of the old families in a public place, with witnesses- and a Malfoy no less- is disrespectful and there are consequences. The old families made oaths and ties years ago, ones to keep peace among them. Hesperia is the only daughter of one of the last remaining Pureblood families, if it got out that Ron had made that threat- Lucius Malfoy has been trying for years to find any reason to get our dad kicked out of the ministry, you think he wont take something like this and run with it? This has to be dealt with properly, we have to issue an official apology to the Malfoys- this is serious stuff Harry."
"I didnt realise" Harry whispered his head dropping as he took in everything the twins had just told him. He still wasn't sure he completely understood it all but from what he did understand Ron had really messed up this time.
"Nobody has explained any of this stuff to you Harry, we wouldn't have expected you too. Ron however, was taught these things around the same time he was taught to walk. Our mum, her family were one of the old Pureblood lines too and she brought us up on the traditions and rules. If George and I wanted too we could slip on some dress robes and go mingle at one of the Malfoys Galas and know exactly how to present ourselves. Ron however, clearly didnt listen much" Fred gritted out.
"Should I say anything to Ron" Harry asked moving to stand and start walking slowly back toward the great hall, sensing that the conversation was nearing its end.
"No, let us sort this out, its family stuff" George replied and Harry nodded his head in understanding, ignoring the slight pang in his chest at the word, his thoughts stuck on the conversation. It had never occurred to him that his name might mean something more than just 'the-boy-who-lived'. It had never occurred to him that his family name may have meant something, like the Weasleys and the Malfoys names did and Harry wondered how much he didnt know. As the trio walked in silence Harry's mind kept getting stuck on one part of the conversation in particular and finally he voiced the question he had wanted to ask since Fred had mentioned it.
"Who are the Blacks?" the rest of the names Harry had recognised and Fred had said it in such away that you knew that the word must hold some weight to it and for some reason the name caused a tugging at the back of Harry's neck. He felt like he should already know the weight behind, felt like somewhere in inside his head something was screaming to be recognised but he couldn't place it.
"The Black's. One of the oldest and richest pureblood lines- like the Malfoys, only absolutely crackers" Fred replied, eyeing Harry slightly, confusion clear in his gaze.
"Only one Black in the history of their family was ever sorted into Gryffindor and not Slytherin" George added slowly watching Fred closely as he spoke, wondering whether he'd said too much... considering.
"Who was that?"
"Hey Harry, was there anyone else there yesterday in the infirmary, other than you, Ron and Malfoy?" Fred asked suddenly, a thoughtful expression crossing his features.
"Err, yeah, Theodore Nott was there with Malfoy"
"Oh for Merlin's sake Ron" Fred growled, throwing his hands up in the in an act of clear exasperation.
"Let me guess the Nott's are one of the old families too"
"There's hope for you yet, young Potter" George drawled sarcastically "but yeah he is and now we really cant let this slide. We'll talk to Percy. Try not to mention any of this to Ron okay?" Pushing the doors to the Great Hall open, Harry turned to nod at the twins before making his way over to where Ron was waiting impatiently for him to come back, all the while Fred and George made their way over to the elder brother.
"What on earth was that little spectacle earlier" Percy snipped immediately upon seeing his younger brothers approaching.
"Percy, we need to talk to you" Fred said ignoring Percy's superior attitude for once.
"In Private" George added and Percy eyed the pair for a long moment before rising from his seat and making his was out of the Hall, the twins following close behind. When the brothers had finally reached a quiet part of the castle the Head boy turned on his younger siblings, hands on hips and eyebrow raised- it was painfully similar to the looks the Professors would give the twins when they pulled an elaborate prank and a professor was waiting for their newest explanation.
"This better be important" he quipped, eyeing the twins with a scrutinizing glare.
"Ron did something stupid" Fred spoke up eventually and Percy watched his brothers closely, looking for any hint that they were pulling a prank. Trying to work out if for once in their lives the twins were being serious, but he didnt need to wait for long, because there was something in the way Fred had spoken- in the way the boys were holding themselves. This wasn't a prank and that was maybe one of the scariest revelations Percy had ever had when it came to his brothers.
"How stupid?" Percy asked carefully watching as George scratched his head before turning to give his twin a rueful grin.
The next day Dumbledore found his office to be rather more crowded than usual. Leaning forward in his chair the man plucked a single yellow sweet from a small bowl that he had crammed full of the sweets. He then tilted the bowl up slightly in an offering to the rest of the room. Nobody took him up on the offer.
When the twins had finished telling Percy what Ron had done the previous day it hadn't taken Percy long to inform Professor McGonagall of the situation who immediately gave the boy permission to use her fireplace to call his mother. Molly Weasley had only been gifted a few seconds to be excited at seeing her son when Percy had cut straight to the point. The Weasley family matriarch had gone from happily surprised to furious in record time, an anger that had subsided only slightly over night. The woman in question now stood on the far side of the room McGonagal at her side, Percy and the twins choosing to hang closer to the walls of Dumbledore's office. There was one Weasley in particular who looked most put out and that was the young freckled red head sat in one of the two armchairs in front of Dumbledore's desk.
Ron had woken that Saturday morning completely unaware as to the turn the day would take. When his three elder brothers greeted him at the bottom of the stairs from the boys dorms that morning an immediate wave of dread set in his stomach. Ron had watched curiously as the twins had nodded at Harry, Fred smacking him on the back as he walked past leaving the Weasleys to their small huddle.
When Ron had voiced his confusion at everyone's behavior he had gotten no reply for a long while, Fred completely refusing to meet his younger brothers gaze. "You need to come with us" Percy sighed, his voice taking an oddly softer tone to the sharp distracted one he usually used with his siblings. As Ron had followed his brothers through the castle he tried raking over his mind for any kind of hint for what this could be about and when he rounded the corner behind his brothers and the two gargoyles came into view he gulped visibly.
Ron had not been expecting a lot of things that morning and being morosely led to the headmasters office by his brothers, only to be greeted with the furious face of his mother upon entering definitely took the cake. Molly Weasley in her anger only managed to shout out a distinct 'you are in so much trouble' before storming to one side of the office, her disappointment and anger only seeming to grow when she noticed the evident shock and confusion on Ron's face.
"Am I getting expelled?" Ron voiced suddenly, staring at the headmaster, a wide eyed look of clear panic evident on his features.
"No my dear boy, but it has been brought to my attention that there are some very serious matters that need to be discussed and dealt with." Dumbledore's smile did nothing to ease his growing irritation and confusion at the lack of explanation.
"Is someone going to explain whats happening" Ron grunted, staring up at his brothers.
"We're still waiting on some guests" the voice came from behind him and Ron turned to see a beautiful tall blonde stood to the left of the room. She wore her hair in a high elegant bun away from her face, her velvet robes looking more expensive than anything Ron had ever owned it his entire life.
"Mrs Malfoy?" He asked, though he had never formally met the woman.
"I see my reputation proceeds me" She laughed brightly and Ron briefly wondered how this woman could possibly be related to Draco Malfoy. As if on cue a small rap at the door caught the rooms attention.
"Come in" Dumbledore, who had been watching the whole scene play out with a mix of intrigue and entertainment, shouted.
"Headmaster" Ron shouldn't have been shocked at the new arrival of his most hated potions professor and Narcissa Malfoys son, Draco however had every right to look surprised. He had been hiding away in the Library when Snape had found him, asking curtly for Draco to follow him to the headmasters office. His words short and detached like normal, as if the day before hadn't happened. Which suited Draco just fine, he didnt think he could cope if Severus Snape started coddling him. Obediently walking in silence, Draco had asked no questions for once and had instead tried to straighten out his uniform to the best of his abilities.
Sleep seemed a foreign concept to Draco and only after two nightmare riddled nights did Draco already have noticeable dark areas beneath his eyes. His hair not quite a perfectly quaffed as normal, his posture not quite as aristocratic, his voice lacking its usual arrogant air. Upon entering the office however Draco felt a rush of relief sweep over him. He didnt at first notice the Weasley family- a feat in itself. Instead his eyes fell immediately on his mother, his eyes wide with confusion and shock... and pain. Hesperia really was the spitting image of their mother. Still Draco felt an undeniable wave of happiness coarse through him.
It was then that he noticed the other occupants of the room. Dumbledore sat behind his desk respectively and McGonagal stood to the right of the table with a large band of red heads. Percy Weasleys face was carefully blank, an air of professionalism rolled off of him as he waited for the meeting to begin. The twins however looked increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, one of the twins- Draco wasn't sure which- was actively looking at anyone but him. Most noticeably was the unmistakable Weasley Matriarch, dark shadows under her eyes indicated a lack of sleep and her pursed lips and narrowed eyes made her look almost threatening.
"Ahh, yes, Mister Malfoy please take a seat" Dumbledore smiled and Draco looked up at Severus questioningly. Only after receiving a curt nod from his Godfather did Draco budge. Making his way to where Ron Weasley was sat in one of the two armchairs in front of Dumbledore desk, Draco perched himself down in the other. The boy next to him looked about as confused as Draco felt. What the hell is going on Draco wondered, feeling uncomfortable at the amount of gazes that had followed him as he crossed the room.
"I'm sorry Sir, I don't believe I understand what this is about" Draco voiced tentatively after settling into his seat.
"It has come to my attention that there was an incident that needs to be dealt with very carefully" Even though the tone of voice he used was serious, Dumbledore never lost the twinkle in his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips as he watched the young Malfoy try to pin point exactly what incident he was talking of. For one horrible moment Draco wondered if something had happened to Hesperia while he was sleeping- What if they've all found out the truth? His mind was reeling at a hundred miles an hour and was only soothed when Dumbledore carried on. "It is something universally known that our actions often have consequences, the fact that our words have consequences too is something universally ignored. Mr Weasley I believe the other night you said some rather cruel things to Mr Malfoy, hence why we are all here"
Draco chanced a quick glance in the Ron's direction and the boy at least had the decency to look ashamed when he finally realised what all of this was about. Draco on the other hand was wondering how Dumbledore had even heard about the situation, had Snape said something about what happened?
"When a wizard of a family such as yours, openly threatens an important member of our Wizarding society there are consequences. Not just on the premises that news reporters would have a field day but as descendants of some of the oldest- and last- Pureblood lines there are rules and customs that have been in your families for generations, magical traces that you wore born with purely because of who you are." Dumbledore spoke calmly his eyes watching Ron carefully as he gauged his reaction. As the man spoke Draco was suddenly reminded that Albus Dumbledore wasn't just a Headmaster, he had at one point been a professor here in the school.
"Your families in particular have a long list of Marriage contracts and Unbreakable vows that have been created in attempts to diminish the animosity between you, that will still- to a certain degree- influence the way your magic responds to one another. To threaten and provoke a fellow wizard is to threaten and provoke their magic. Draco by all rights, is entitled to feel as if his family is in danger from yours. Back in the day, usually situations such as these were sorted through Marriages or agreements- in the worst case scenario it would at times come to a wizards duel. Your magical core is a part of you, it listens to your feelings and emotions, it recognises when your in danger- in rare cases it recognises its perfect match, its soul mate if you will. In threatening Hesperia Malfoy- even if there was no real weight behind it- you have caused the Mr Malfoys magic to be provoked, situations like this can lead to the inability for members of yours families to fight side by side, even the inability to form proper friendships and relationships- soul mates kept apart because something in their core magic is telling them it isn't safe."
Draco struggled to see what was so important about the Malfoy families magic feeling familiar and safe with the Weasleys, he was in the process of rolling his eyes when his gaze fell on the Weasley twins. Those two boys, for reasons unbeknownst to Draco- were some of his sisters favorite people in the world and Draco felt his heart clench at the thought of how upset Mia would be if she learnt that their magic hated each other, that she would never be able to stand by their side a perform a spell with them, not with the ease it should have taken anyhow.
"What can i do?" Ron voiced quietly looking up at Dumbledore with wide eyes. Guilt and shame mingling together in his eyes and Draco almost felt bad for him; almost.
"Well luckily Narcissa Malfoy has agreed to let this slide with only a formal apology" Dumbledore answered and relief swept clearly over the young Weasley. Draco watched his mother step forward.
"Situations like these are meant to happen when your young, I myself have had to have some serious conversations with Draco over the years as to what is and isn't acceptable. When your young you have time to learn- if you said something like you did in the future, to the wrong person at the wrong time, there would be no excuse... but I believe you meant no harm and would like to put this behind us as quickly as possible." From the opposite side of the room Molly watched Narcissa carefully, her eyes narrowed- after the meeting Molly Weasley found herself far too furious at the Malfoy woman's nerve of trying to parent her child, she didnt bother to punish Ron. Though the punishments he got were bad enough in his eyes; a month of detentions, 30 points taken from Gryffindor and worst of all, he wasn't allowed to watch the next Quidditch game.
After Ron had said the most sincere apology he could muster toward a Malfoy and Draco had graciously accepted it, Dumbledore dismissed the group. Everyone began shuffling around almost immediately, the Weasley boys all moving to hug their mother- who would be leaving with Mrs Malfoy through Dumbledore's floo, Professor McGonagal stayed by Dumbledore side wishing to stay behind and speak more with the headmaster, Snape however moved to Narcissa's side.
"How is she" Narcissa whispered and it suddenly occurred to Severus that the Malfoys wouldn't have been informed of their daughters petrification. He immediately felt guilty for not realising sooner but as Narcissa stared up at him expectantly he found himself unable to tell her the truth- it would make scene... at last that was the excuse he used to himself later to justify his next actions.
"She's doing fine, shes even started refraining from shoving her hand up in an attempt to answer every question" Severus smiled tightly and Narcissa let out a laugh.
"Sounds like her" she murmured and Severus could feel Draco's eyes on him. Nodding curtly, Severus paused only briefly to shoot Draco a glare that said 'not now' before turning to the door, leaving the two Malfoys to say their goodbyes. Narcissa let her hand cup her sons face, her fingers tracing the scar across his moment dragged on and just as the door to Dumbledore's office was opened and the group made to leave Narcissa's voice broke through the silence.
"Bad tempers... they're not particularly good personality traits" her voice was soft but it drew attention. There was no harshness in her tone, it was sad almost, like she had seen the opportunity to help an old friend but let it pass too many times to do it again. Ron started up at the woman wide eyes, nodding his head slowly as Molly watched on with a scowl "What i mean to say is, i think, that we should all be grateful it was me who answered that Floo call and not my husband." the room filled with silence. Eventually Ron nodded minutely at the woman. Only too aware of how differently the meeting could have gone had Lucius Malfoy not been in Italy on business. One by one the small group that had gathered in Dumbledore's office on that dull Saturday morning began to disband.
Walking slowly by Snapes side, Draco mulled over the events that had just taken place. In all honesty he had forgotten about how problematic Ron Weasley had been by saying what he did. His mind had been too filled with anger and exhaustion to even consider trying to properly get back at Weasley for what he'd done. Which still left him wondering who could have snitched in the first place, he knew for certain it wasn't Theo and he highly doubted Potter would have actively gone out of his way to get the red head in trouble, even if he was aware of all the Pureblood rules that come into play with certain families- which Draco highly doubted.
Long after his Godfather had parted his side did Draco ponder the question and it was only as he went to turn a particularly out of the way corridor did he have it answered.
"Can you just talk to me" the unmistakable shout of Ron Weasley had Draco freezing where he stood. The shout had come from around the corner and after a two second debate Draco inched forwards until he was peering round the corner at three of the Weasleys.
"I don't have anything to say" one of the twins replied, not that Draco knew which. Mia had told him once, how to tell the difference but Draco couldn't for the life of him remember.
"Can you at least tell me why you did that, why you snitched and got me so much trouble, you guys of all people" Ron huffed and Draco's eyes went wide at the revelation.
"Because you deserved it" The twin who had been quite blatantly pretending he couldn't see his younger sibling stood in front of him finally snapped "Because not only did you do something stupid but you threatened our friend. Our friend. Anyone else and i might not of cared but Hesperia? Even if she is a Malfoy it doesn't matter. What matters is you could have jeopardized our friendship with her and you just don't do that"
"Threaten Malfoy to your hearts content Ron, no one cares but leave her out of it" the other twin finished before the both following his brother who was already storming away from them.
"Shit" Ron muttered and Draco watched as he slowly followed in the direction his brothers had just disappeared too. Draco knew his eyes were wide in shock and he probably looked ridiculous, stood in an empty corridor, his mouth agape, but he couldn't shake the look when he thought of how they had just defended his sister. Never had Draco expected that kind of passion towards a member of his family from a Weasley, unless of course that passion was stemming from the emotion of hate. Only Hesperia.
It was late in the evening when Draco was making his way back from the library that a hand grabbing his arm from out of the shadows caused him to jump around a foot in the a, a girly shriek escaping his lips.
"Merlins beard, be quiet" a voiced hissed and when the figure finally came into the torch light Draco was shocked to see one of the twins who had been plaguing his mind since that morning.
"Sorry, some creep just grabbed me out of the shadows. My fault really i should've been expecting it" Draco hissed back, sarcasm dripping from every word and the red head in front of him had the decency to look bashful.
"Right well, i thought you might like to see your sister?"
"What?" Draco muttered, his head was throbbing from lack of sleep and he found the added stress of that mornings meeting had really taken its toll. The last thing he wanted was to be kept from the warm canopy bed that was screaming his name by a Weasley.
"Pomfrey would have done her checks for the night and gone to her sleeping quarters around twenty minutes ago. Filch is another two floors up and there aren't any prefects or teachers doing rounds near the infirmary for at least another forty-five minutes. Do you want to see Mia or not?" Slowly Draco nodded along and before he knew it he was being led through passages he didnt even realise existed. After the third tapestry the Weasley boy pulled aside, Draco couldn't help the look of astonishment he gave him. Excitement building in his stomach.
"How do you know about all these shortcuts" he asked, raising his eyebrow perfectly.
"Went on a bit of a hunt in first year, lot of late night and close calls but it paid off. I can get from the Gryffindor tower to the Kitchens for a midnight snack faster then you could say Pumpkin Pastie" The boy grinned at him and Draco had to actively fight the urge to smile back. Before he knew it the doors to the Hospital wing came into view and Draco felt his pace double. Palms sweating and breathing erratic, Draco sent the red head a quick glance before carefully pushing the doors open- trying to avoid any groans that would wake Madame Pomfrey and alert her to their presence.
The room was cold and dark and the varied shapes of the infirmary cast ominous shadows in the moonlight but Draco found he took no notice. His legs moving instinctively toward a bed in the far corner. With every step closer Draco felt the heavy weight he had been carrying around with him lift slightly. Draco came to a sudden stop next to the bed and his breath hitched as he looked at the frozen form of his sister.
Of course she didnt look like Hesperia, the glamour charms were still safely intact meaning she looked like Hermione but that made no difference. Draco sunk deeply into the chair by her side and the wave of relief that washed over him was like something he had never experience. He felt all his breath leave him in one steady gush and hot tears tracked down his porcelain cheeks. It was like all the stress of the last two days just disappeared the moment he wrapped his fingers around her wrist reassuringly. Sure, seeing her so still was a shock but the fact that she was there in front of him and she was more or less fine caused Draco's magic to settle and the fatigue that he had put down to lack of sleep seeped out of him. Leaving only a small relieved smile on his lips.
"Tank you..." Draco voiced suddenly, pausing when he realised he didnt know which twin he was talking too. The boy in question seemed to catch on though as he grinned sheepishly down at the younger boy, as if knowing he probably should have introduced which twin he was before hand.
"Fred" He interjected and Draco nodded once before letting his eyes fall back to the hazel eyes that were staring blankly at the ceiling. It was a long moment before either of them spoke again, both too lost in thought, staring at the girl who had steadily become primary fixtures in both of their lives.
"Why did you do this for me?" Draco asked eventually and Fred seemed shocked at the question, for a while Fred just watched Draco before finally sighing and moving to rest his hand on the side of Mia's face gently.
"If it had been George..." he trailed off and Draco realised he needn't finished the sentence.
As Draco made his way back to his common room, long after curfew had ended, he couldn't help but think that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were still terrible choices in companionship but maybe, just maybe, the Weasley twins weren't so bad.