Draco had become increasingly distant as the weeks went by and I knew it was because of me. Because of what I did. He didn't bring it back up after I came clean but he pulled away from me a bit, it was almost as if he didn't know how to act around me. I knew when I told him that it could possibly change things between us and it has.
I couldn't sleep, I was exhausted all the time but I just couldn't sleep. My schoolwork started to deteriorate and my change hasn't gone unnoticed by Pansy and Blaise. If Draco noticed he didn't say anything, he barely spoke to me directly and it was killing me. I'm not sure how much longer I could deal with it. I know I said I could deal with him hating me but I didn't realise how much of an impact it would have on me. Physically and emotionally.
I guess that's what I get for caring about someone.
I was on my way to Hogsmeade when something caught my attention, Potter and his friends were looking shifty as hell. I stopped and grabbed Draco's arm pulling him to a stop knowing how much he loves to mess with the trio and I nodded my head at the Trio, a smirk appeared on his face and we quickly said our goodbyes to Blaise and Pansy before turning to follow them at a distance.
We hung back a bit as the trio slipped inside The Hogs Head after checking their surroundings, I was about to walk towards the door but Draco grabbed my hand quickly and forced me to duck back down, I soon found why when a throng of other Hogwarts students started filing inside the Hogs Head. I shared a confused look with Draco and once we were sure there weren't any other people coming we snuck forward and crouched beneath the window next to the door.
I heard Granger talking in stuttering sentences and I had to cover my mouth to hide my giggles, Draco raised an eyebrow at me but a small smile graced his lips. It was a relief to see him smile even if it was a small one.
"Because Lord Voldemorts back" I heard Granger say and I leaned closer to the door, Draco held onto my arm so I could keep my balance and my heart raced at the contact but I kept my focus on the meeting that was going on inside.
I heard someone start asking questions about what proof there was about The Dark Lord's return, I started to scratch my arm absentmindedly as I listened. The proof was on my arm. The conversation drifted on and I was increasingly growing bored as was Draco but my ears soon perked up.
"So," I heard Granger say in a high voice and I rolled my eyes. "So . . . like I was saying . . . if you want to learn some defence, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet, and where we're going to —"
Someone interrupted Granger again and I quickly turned to Draco with a small smile on my face, "What are they going to do? Start a club?" I muttered quietly and Draco hid his laugh in his hand.
"Oh listen to them fawn over him" Draco whispered as we heard someone bragging about Potter's ability to make a Patronus. "It's disgusting"
I nearly burst out laughing at the voices of The Weasley Twins threatening to shove something in someone's ear and Draco frowned, "What, it was a little funny" I shrugged and Draco rolled his eyes.
"So are we all agreed to learn from Harry?" I heard Granger say and I quickly moved away from the door and started to walk quickly back towards the Castle and Draco quickly caught up.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked, barely managing to keep up with my fast pace.
"They're planning on forming their own DADA club, Draco," I said quickly and looked over my shoulder to see if anyone else was following, "I hate to say but if The Dark Lord catches wind of Potter doing anything to lessen his chances at victory and I didn't do anything-"
"He'll kill you" Draco finished and we broke out into a sprint.
We burst through the door of Professor Umbridge's office, panting for breath. Umbridge looked up startled and she smiled sweetly at us, "Draco, Adria" She greeted "What can I do for you?"
"Well," I paused and looked at Draco and he nodded quickly, "I overheard a conversation between Harry Potter and a bunch of other students in The Hogs Head and as High Inquisitor, I thought it'd be best if you knew"
"Alright," Umbridge said and set down her cup of tea, I looked around the room and almost gagged at the amount of pink in the room, not to mention the cat plates. "Take a seat you two and tell me what you heard"
Draco and I took turns in relaying everything we heard, I felt like a complete snitch but I had to do something. To protect my own life. I guess my self-preservation kicked in. Draco and I left Umbridge's office an hour later and headed back to the common room.
Once we got inside the common room I made a beeline straight for my room but Draco quickly caught my hand and forced me to stop, "Dia, wait a minute. I want to talk"
"Now you want to talk to me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Draco and he shrugged in return. I scoffed, pulling my hand free and walking across the common room.
"I'm sorry" Draco quiet voice made me freeze with a foot on the bottom step leading towards the girls' dorms, "I'm sorry I've been distant"
"So you are self-aware then" I replied in a dry tone and turned around, Draco looked at me for a moment before looking away.
"I needed to process" Draco admitted and I crossed my arms over my chest, "I just didn't expect you'd ever give yourself up just to save my life"
"Are you really surprised I would do something like that?" I asked, completely bewildered by Draco's words.
Draco smiled softly before he walked across the room to stand in front of me, "You always find new ways to surprise, Dia, I just wish it hadn't happened"
"I know, so do I" I admitted and pinched the bridge of my nose for a minute, "People will say that I had a choice but in reality, I didn't. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't agree"
Draco's eyes softened before he quickly pulled me towards him and wrapped me in his arms, I didn't hesitate to wrap my arms around him and bury my face into his shoulder. The scent of his cologne tinted with mint filled me with warmth as the familiarity washed over me.
"I'd have done the same for you," Draco said after a minute and I tensed up in his arms.
"Hopefully you won't have to"
"Thank Salazar!" I jumped slightly at Blaise's voice and I stepped away from Draco with my face burning. "I don't know how long I could have dealt with you two not talking"
"Shut up, Blaise" Draco muttered before moving over to our usual sofa, I rolled my eyes at Draco's dismiss of Blaise's comment and took a seat next to him.
"Where's Pansy?" I asked Blaise as he sat down on an armchair.
"What am I? Her keeper? She's your best friend, Adria" Blaise countered and Draco looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"I thought I was your best friend?" Draco asked and I smiled at the childlike tone he used, I ruffled his hair and he pouted.
"You are" I reassured him, "She's my girl best friend. And she's your girlfriend, Blaise"
Draco smiled and turned to look at Blaise and his face flushed, "She's in detention" he muttered and I grinned.
"Didn't even deny it" Draco teased and Blaise smacked him across the head, "And that's confirmation!"
"Can I please knock him out, Adria?" Blaise asked me and I looked at Draco for a minute acting like I had to think about it and Draco stuck out his bottom lip.
"Nope" I replied and grinned, "That's my job"
Blaise chuckled and started pulling things out of his bag, "We've got a Potions essay due tomorrow, you know" Blaise said after seeing me and Draco stare at him.
I slapped my forehead, "Fuck, I forgot" I muttered and quickly started getting my own schoolwork out, Draco grumbled and did the same.
"Study buddies!" Blaise said after a minute and frowned, "I sounded way too excited about that" I snorted and got to work on my own homework.
I could barely concentrate on our Potions Essay because of the pure fact that Draco's hand kept brushing mine as they rested on the table in front of us. Each time our hands touched it would send a shock through my body, leaving me feeling warm.
After about half an hour of writing, I shed my Slytherin robe and jumper. I saw Draco watching me out of the corner of his eye as I loosened my tie a little bit and undid the top buttons of my blouse, I went back to my essay with my face burning. Pansy joined the homework session after another hour and she silently started her own essay.
"Ah!" I dropped my quill and rubbed my wrist and Draco quickly looked at me slightly worried "Cramp"
"Weak!" Blaise shot at me and I shot him my middle finger, another ten minutes later Blaise dropped his quill and rubbed my wrist, "Shut up" He muttered when he saw me laughing.
"Karma's a bitch" I shrugged and picked my quill back up.
I finally finished my essay after another hour of writing, Pansy had finished a while ago and had drifted off to her room muttering that she was tired. I pulled myself back onto the sofa and stretched out my back, Draco put his quill down and sat next to me and without a word he wrapped an arm around me, I pulled my legs up onto the sofa and rested my head on his chest. My eyes slid shut when Draco started running his fingers through my hair and I wrapped my arms around his waist with a yawn.
"She hasn't slept, you know?" I heard Pansy's voice after a few minutes, she must have come back down for something. She thought I was asleep but I was far too tired to tell her I was awake.
"Really?" Draco said and he shifted his arm to a more comfortable position.
"Yeah, I've noticed that she spends most of the nights writing in her notebooks," Pansy said quietly. "You should send her to bed, Draco"
"I'm good," Draco said, his arm subconsciously tightening around me and his hand still running through my hair, I wanted to open my eyes and sit up but the exhaustion was too much and I was far too comfortable being curled up in Draco's arms.
"She fell asleep as soon as she put her head down" Blaise commented, I'm pretty sure I would have rolled my eyes if I had enough energy.
"Can I ask you something, Draco?" Pansy said after a minute and I felt Draco nod slightly, "Why did she turn you down, Draco?" Draco tensed up for a minute before relaxing again not wanting to 'wake' me up.
"She was going through something" Blaise chimed in quickly and Pansy sighed.
"I'm not fucking stupid!" Pansy said a bit too loudly and Draco quickly shushed her. "Sorry, but I know what she's done. I want to know why she did it"
Huh, Pansy was more aware than I thought. I felt bad for listening to an obviously private conversation but I didn't have the energy to tell them I was awake and I could feel sleep slowly taking over me. I heard Draco's heart pick up speed slightly at Pansy's comment.
"She did it for me," Draco said quietly and Pansy made a strangled sound.
"What?" Pansy gasped and Draco sighed as he started to twirl some of my hair between his fingers and his thumb rubbing circles into my side.
"He said he'd kill me if she didn't" Draco shrugged slightly, "Guess she didn't want me killed"
"Of course she wouldn't, Draco," Pansy said and I could practically hear her roll her eyes. "She loves you"
"God knows why" Blaise added, "Ow, Pans that hurt!" I turned my head slightly to hide my smile.
"What are you going to do now?" Pansy asked quietly.
"I don't know, Pansy" Draco admitted and I felt my heart drop slightly, my arm automatically tightened around his middle and Draco kissed the top of my head gently.
"Do you love her?" Pansy said softly after a minute.
"You know I do," Draco said instantly and I heard his heart start pounding, "I don't think my ego could take another rejection"
"Draco, she rejected you because of The Mark" Blaise said with a slight hint of annoyance. "I think I can safely say I know my sister at this point and I can confidently say that she won't turn you down again. You know now, she has no reason to say no"
"You think so?" Draco asked and I heard Pansy and Blaise sigh.
"I know so," They both said and Draco's heart began to beat faster.
"Get on with it before someone else gets her," Pansy said and Draco's arm tightened around me before relaxing slightly.
"I will don't worry," Draco said quietly, "I'm not losing her again"