So So So Sorry about the wait. Work and the school have been hectic lately but soon I will be posting more regularly. The last chapter of the Third year! It's almost been a year since I started this story and I will not be stopping anytime soon I hope you enjoy this small little chapter and read what I have to come. Things are going to change soon and I hope you like what I have planned.
IT HAS ALMOST BEEN A YEAR SINCE I STARTED THIS STORY.
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Lego
The next morning when Atria woke up, she felt a hand tightly holding hers as it rested on the bed. She looked over to Draco, who had not yet noticed she was awake. His eyes were glued on the quilt on the bed, his jaw tense as he thought. What he was thinking about she really didn't want to know. Draco was harsh, he always had been. He was used to getting his way without resistance. He had that look about him now, His eyes angry as he glared down.
"Draco," she murmured softly.
His head snapped immediately as he rose to his feet and leant over her, his hand tearing away from hers, "What were you thinking,"
Atria tried again to speak, "Draco I do-"
"No excuses," He snapped, She flinched away from the hand he raised as he pointed a finger at her, "I want the truth Atria!"
"Would you be quiet!" she snapped furiously at him, "My head hurts enough as it is I don't need this right now!"
He took an angry step back. As if needing the distance between them, she probably would tell him the truth if the truth was not so dangerous.
"I know it was stupid, and I know I made a mistake, so you can just leave if you're only here to berate me!" she said before throwing herself angrily back on the bed and turning away from him.
She glared into space as she listened to his light pacing before he took a deep and calming breath. She felt the bed shift under her as he sat down beside her.
"You could have died," he said firmly.
"I know that," Atria said petulantly.
He extended a hand cautiously, hovering it over her arm for a moment before it fell on her forearm, " I'm sorry I yelled, but I… I was so worried and no one was telling me what had happened." She turned around to look at him all traces of anger where gone but then again with Draco, they never lasted long. He had his little temper tantrums and after the release, it was over. " I really thought he had killed you," he murmured before running his hand over her hair, pushing the loose strands out of the way.
Their eyes remained locked as Atria replied softly, "Well, I'm not dead,"
He nodded slowly. "I'm sorry," he said softly.
Atria lowered her eyes, "It's okay," she lied.
He smiled with his usual boyish smile, relieved that once again he had not lost her to death or due to his own arrogance. "Move over," he said lifting his leg up onto the bed.
Atria scooted over making space for him beside her as he climbed under the covers. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she laid her head on his chest.
"This doesn't mean I forgive you," Atria murmured as buried herself in his familiar and comforting embrace, "and it doesn't mean anything is going to change either."
She felt him nod above her, " I know."
So another year at Hogwarts came to a close, another year which Atria had barely survived. She was packing her trunk slowly, not quite ready to go home yet but knowing she would be on her way home in a matter of hours.
But her mind was else where, as she folded and packed her clothes. She had felt all over the place since the night of the full moon.
Remus. Remus was a werewolf, a half-breed, an abomination to their society. Or so he would be in her uncle's words.
But he wasn't. He was a man, a good man, who she cared for deeply. And nothing and no one would change that. That night, while yes came with pain and suffering, had led the way to so much more. For the first time in her life, she knew one fact for certain, someone out there loved her unquestionably and without limitations. From a young age, she knew that all the love she had had limitations. Her Grandmothers, Draco's, Narcissa's, Lucius's especially. It could all come to an abrupt end over family treachery or the simple decision to live her life the way she wanted. Her grandmother had told her as much, her love for her son had ended as soon as the sorting hat had been placed on Sirius' head. But now that fear was fading slowly. The love she had had in her life before, the mere sliver of it that she had held onto for so long was a fraction of what she had now, there was more and it could not be trifled so as she walked towards the defence classroom there was not one once of anxiety in her, even as the finale hours of the school year passed quickly.
She hadn't even reached the classroom before she found the man she was looking for. He was walking slowly down the hallway, his small suitcase in hand.
"Remus!" she called out before walking quickly over to him. She found herself almost running.
Remus's head turned, and a smile broke across his face at the sight of her. He dropped his suitcase as they met and wrapped her up quickly in a tight embrace which she returned as strongly.
He pulled away from her slowly, and she watched as his smile faltered as if he was reminded of a damning fact.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," He said taking a small step back.
"Why not?" Atria asked.
Remus's eyes went blank for a moment, maybe she didn't know, he thought. He hoped she didn't, he truly believed that if she knew she would never be able to look at him again, it would all be over, "You did just get out of the hospital wing I wouldn't want to-"
"Remus," Atria said delicately.
His face dropped as he looked into her decisive eyes. She knew.
"I know," she said softly.
He took a step back, trying to put distance between them. Shattered, that's how he felt. His chest was caving at the very thought of what was to come next, the rejection the disgust. Atria was thirteen, young and impressionable. She had been raised under the guidance of Lucius Malfoy a blood supremacist if he had ever known one. This was it, the finale blow, the one thing she may not be able to ever see past and she shouldn't.
"Remus, what's wrong?" Atria asked.
"You must hate me," he said.
"Why?"
"Atria", Remus said, shock written on his head, "I could have killed you last night if I found you, that's why."
"But you didn't," she reasoned.
"But I could of."
"If your argument is solely based on the what if's you don't have an argument," Atria said, "I just don't care. Why should I? you're still you." She didn't want to fight with him about something as simple as whether or not he was worthy to be loved and trusted because he was. "It's not your fault you're a werewolf, Remus," she said softly.
"Atria you don't understand you're a-"
"A child, why does that matter I know what it's like when something evil has a hold of you," she said. She understood what it was like to have a dark secret, another entity inside of you that made you feel less human, she had Tom. "But that doesn't make you evil."
"No," Remus said softly, "but if I ever hurt you it would be my fault."
Atria's eyes lit up widely, was one incident enough to scare him, was he about to tell her he couldn't be in her life now. She should of pretend, acted as if she still didn't know. She now wished Harry had never told her, wished she could remain oblivious to the fact forever. "What are you saying?"
"That your family was right," Remus said patiently, "I never could have been responsible for you." He could see the hurt in her eyes, but it had shaken him, seeing her in that hospital bed, "It was frightening not knowing where you were, not knowing if you were safe."
"But that wasn't because of you that was because of him!" Atria said her composure lost for a moment. She shook her head, her long her falling in her face, "I was terrified," she said softly, "The way he looked at me, that man," Atria said reflectively, "like I was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen."
"Peter tricked as all," Remus said his tone turning solemn and sour, "your mother would be disgusted with him."
Atria bowed her head her breath shaking, "As she would with you if she could see you now."
"Atria-"
"She would," she said ardently, "if she could see the way you talked about yourself, I know she would."
Remus placed his hands on her shoulders gently, looking at her lowered head, "But she would never forgive me either if anything happened to you."
"But she's not here and Sirius isn't either so right now I need you," Atria said gingerly, lifting her head.
Remus smiled sadly down at the young girl before him, He had been ready for the coldness and hostility that usually came with the revelation of his Lycrothory but she had not been either. She had been soft but strong at the same time in her views. if someone had told him at the start of the year that their relationship would have grown into one he had wanted with her, the one that should have already had a semblance of existence he would have laughed at them. To know that this guarded girl would have opened up to him the way she had, well, now he knew he could not jeopardise the trust and faith she had but into him. For one more blow to her trust would send the paper tower down and she would never be able to rise again.
He pulled her forward into another hug, not wanting to think about it anymore, knowing that for now, all was well. "Write to me," he whispered," if anything happens if you need anything."
She rested her cheek on his shoulder comfortably before whispering, "I'll see you again soon, right?"
"Yes." he said pulling away just enough to look at her, "It will be hard but we'll work it out."
"Is it me or am I sensing a pattern in our year," Atria said as she approached the dark-haired boy as he stood on the platform.
He turned to her a small smile on his face as his green eyes glistened, "How so?"
"Damsel in distress saved by the famous Harry Potter."
Harry smiled bashfully, "It's not my fault, trouble just seems to find you,"
Atria flinched at that, he wasn't wrong, trouble had seemed to always find her when she least wanted it to. "That it does," Atria said pensively.
Harry nodded slowly as he moved closer to her, "Will you be alright when you go home?" Harry asked her.
Atria nodded lifting her chin higher as she smiled comfortingly at him, "I think I will," She said hopefully. "Tell Hermione and Ron I said bye and to have a good summer."
"I will."
Atria nodded, "well I guess, then until next year," Atria said with a pointed nod, "Goodbye Harry," she said as she turned.
"Will you write to me, over the summer?" Harry asked in a rushed voice afraid she would be gone before he could ask.
Atria turned back, catching his gaze and she replied modestly, "If you want me too."
An excited sigh escaped Harry as his hand moved into his pocket and it fished out a piece of parchment which he handed to her.
She unfolded it with careful hands, looking at the slanted letters, 4 private drive. Had he written this out beforehand, planning to give it to her? That thought alone made Atria feel a stirring inside her she had never felt before.
Harry's eyes were glued to her, he watched the small smile twitch at her lips as she looked at the address, "If anything happens-"
"Nothing will," Atria assured him, her eyes lifting to meet his as the last of the student filled on to the train. Green and Grey met as they stood alone on the platform, the finale seconds ticking past before it was all over.
"Goodbye Harry," she said slowly as she backed away, turning as she walked towards the Hogwarts express, feeling a bit more complete then she had before.
She walked up the steps, onto the carriage where no doubt Draco was wondering where she was. Oblivious to the fact that when the steam began to billow from the train it would take her closer to the storm that awaited her at home.
And that would be it. Third-year finished. What comes next. Well you'll just have to see what I've got up my sleeve.
