24 – A Whole New World
DRACO
Almost as soon as he stormed out of the green house he wanted to go back. He wanted to turn back time and un-say everything he'd said. Everything she'd said and done to make him feel like this. Hurt. Betrayed. Like a stunning spell had hit him right in the heart.
Why. Why, why, why did he have to go and fall in love with a stupid Gryffindor? She didn't get it! Someone simply had to go and say the words right and just and she forgot everything around her and would probably even sell out her own grandmother. For the greater good.
How foolish he'd been to think she could ever look past his name. Past his house. Past their history.
Had it been too much to ask? He would have forgiven her. For openly defaming his father. For dragging his name through the mud. He would have tried at least. He would have – but had it really been too much to ask? For her to be on his side for once. For her to try and understand him, after all the effort he had put in for her.
Would you betray me?
All he'd asked for was a simple answer. An uncomplicated cluster of words that would have assured him.
No. I'd never betray you.
A simple No would have been enough. Was it really that hard? He hadn't even asked her to confess her love or anything. He'd simply wanted her to tell him that he was somehow worth it. For her. For anything. Was he such a worthless piece of trash? So low that not even Saint Potter saw a tiny flicker of something redeemable in him? Maybe she never had. Maybe he'd only made it up in his head and she hated him after all. Had never stopped.
He felt angry. Betrayed. Hurt.
An itch. To draw his wand and hurt something in the same way he'd been hurt. It wasn't fair that he should be the only one who felt like this. The oak front doors were right in front of him now. A group of first-years. They were idly chatting about everything and nothing without giving a shit about the way his heart hurt. Obviously, they were asking for it. With a swift movement he pulled out his wand, took aim and…
Don't. They've done nothing wrong… Potter's voice in his head. Clear like a memory. But it wasn't a memory. It was an echo of the way she was thinking. Planted into his mind. Where it had no right to be and put foreign thoughts into his head. Why should he listen to it? Why should he even bother–
Don't do it Draco. You'll regret it, whispered her voice… He closed his eyes and imagined her face. Her beautiful green eyes, her snub nose, her soft pink lips…
He wanted to run back to her. Wanted to wrap her up in his arms and forget everything they'd fought over. But it wasn't that easy. Not this time.
With a sigh, he slipped his wand back inside his pocket and let the warmth of the castle comfort him.
…
It was hard not to look at her in the Great Hall. Or in the classes they shared. Or in the halls. It was even harder not to notice the shadows under her eyes. Obviously she hadn't slept well the previous night. (Just like him.) Did that mean there was still hope? Did she regret-
No. He shook his head and tried to focus on Binns' monotonous voice instead. A centaur feud. There had been a centaur feud a hundred years ago. Draco failed to see why that was important. This subject was called History of Magic not History of Centaurs! He groaned. The only advantage of this class was that they didn't share it with the Gryffindors. Or was it a disadvantage? Who knew? Or cared? Certainly not him.
…
There was a reason Luna had earned the right to be called his friend. She didn't ask. She just sat next to him and let him sulk in peace. At least there was one person in Hogwarts who appreciated him. Who saw his true worth. Who wasn't ungrateful or a traitor like someone. Who hadn't ripped out his heart and joyfully danced on the pieces. Who would never sell out her own grandmother for glory and–
Clonk. Something fell out of a shelf behind Luna. (His best friend.) Reflexively, Draco looked up from his book and was faced with a sight that gave his heart a painful squeeze.
Haley. She had her back turned to them and was bending over slightly to pick up a book. So, that's where the noise had come from.
She cleared her throat and turned around, a fiery blush dusting her cheeks. She had no right to look this cute.
"Um… hi…" she said sheepishly, biting her lips. How was he supposed to stay mad at her when everything she did was unbearably endearing? Her gaze met his only for a split second but it was enough to almost drown him in an onslaught of feelings. A strange mix of anger, regret and longing that left him breathless.
Quickly, Draco looked down at his book to avoid her searching eyes. But the image of her was still flickering on the page next to the drawing of a Siren Mark. Why was he looking at Siren Marks anyway?
"Hello Haley," Luna greeted her. "Are you okay?"
What? Why wouldn't she be okay? She wasn't the one whose family name had been tainted. It was him who wasn't okay! Why did nobody care about his broken heart?
"Yeah, um… stupid book." She sounded strangely nervous. She never sounded like that. Draco had to put in a major effort not to look at her. Siren Mark. Look at the Siren Mark…
…the mark slowly spreads across the victim's skin, leaving the poor soul with a burning pain that ultimately reaches the heart. Once the curse reaches the heart there is no hope for a cure.
He heard someone clear their throat. (Potter obviously.) Then he spotted her feet nearing his table from the corner of his eyes.
"Can we talk?" She said quietly, cautiously. As if she was afraid of his reaction. As if she was scared he wouldn't want to. He did want to. It was almost impossible to resist the urge not to at least look at her.
Once the curse reaches the heart there is no hope for a cure… No hope for a cure… No hope… Hope…
"Draco?" She said his name, sounding scared but also hopeful. Hope… What did that even mean? How could she be hopeful when it had been her who had taken away all his hopes and dreams? He sighed. There was no way he would be able to bear being in her presence any longer. Not without giving in. Or letting her explain her way back into his heart.
"I'm going to finish this later," Draco said in Luna's vague direction and slipped the book he'd been not-reading into his bag. It was hard to move past her without even a glance. So so hard. But how could he let someone back into his life who wasn't even willing to take his side when it really mattered?
He didn't go far. He ducked into a dark corner and waited until the Gryffindor left again.
When he returned to his table, Luna greeted him with a pondering look. "You're being really hard on her."
Draco scoffed. "I think I have a good reason to be." He sat down opposite Luna again, scrunching up his brows.
The girl nodded. "I wonder… aren't you mad at me as well?"
"You? Why would I be mad at you?"
She rested her chin in her hand and began to wind one of her blond locks around her finger. "The interview was in the Quibbler," she started to explain. "My dad runs it, do you remember? I… was there when Rita Skeeter interviewed Haley."
Oh. Right. He'd forgotten about that. But then…
"Are you mad at me now?" Luna asked, more curious than anything.
Surprisingly, he wasn't. Not much. Not nearly as angry as Haley had made him feel. He wondered why that was. Because Haley had played a more active role in the interview? Because she'd been the one, accusing his father? Or… perhaps it was because what he felt for her was that much more intense and all-consuming than his friendship with Luna?
"I'll take back the chocolate owl I gave you."
The girl raised her eyebrows. "You can't. That was a gift." She seemed honestly afraid he was going to take back the chocolate owl he'd given her as a Valentine's gift. Because she was such a good friend to him. He'd received a similar owl in return. He kept it in a box beneath his bed, along with the gifts he'd gotten from Haley…
"So? I gave it to you, so I can also take it back again." He said petulantly. "Unless you've already eaten it?"
"No! I'd never!" Luna burst out. "It was a gift from you." She looked so indignant that Draco had to smile. A little bit.
"What were you reading earlier by the way?" The girl asked. It was a rather obvious method of distraction. He rolled his eyes but decided to indulge her.
"Siren's Marks." He frowned. "Never heard about those before, though."
"Siren's Marks," she repeated. "Sirens… do you think…"
"Hm?"
Then a realisation seemed to hit her. "What if… one used Siren's magic to break the Golem's spell? There's little that's more powerful than Siren's magic. Maybe one could use it to disrupt the Golem's spell that traps the soul within the Golem in order to free it."
"Er… what?"
"You know how the biggest problem with golem magic is that while the golem protects the body of the spellcaster, the wizard's soul seems to be sucked up by it at the same time. But if one could use a Siren call to bring back the soul… I think… do you think that could work?"
"I don't know… maybe?" Draco hadn't really been paying attention to her. Why was she even so interested in those blasted golems?
"We'd only have to figure out how to revise the Siren's curse then. But I think I've read about a cure for that. Even if it's really rare."
"Right." He nodded, getting the feeling that Luna was more talking to herself than him. Well, as long as she talked about strange branches of magic, he didn't have to think about anything potentially upsetting.
"So… are you going to forgive Haley?"
"What?" The sudden change of topic burst his little bubble of ignorance. He glared at her for taking him back to the bleak reality. "Don't know," he grumbled, flinging a bread crumb off the table in disgust. Who had sat here and soiled his table?
"I mean… did it really surprise you that she mentioned your father?"
Of course! She shouldn't have! We're dating, after all! That's what he should say. What he wanted to. But it wasn't the truth. The truth was… that it fit. Even if they were dating… the Gryffindor in her would always hold truth and justice above anything else. He'd found that irritating about her. Fascinating, later when he was falling for her. And now? He didn't know what to think.
"Not really." He mumbled quietly.
There was something conflicting in Luna's eyes, when he glanced at her for a second.
"Do you want to break up then?" The question came out of nowhere. Fired at him like a spell. And it left him feeling as though a bucket of ice cold water had been emptied inside him. He couldn't answer. It was the only logical consequence, wasn't it? They were obviously from two very different worlds. And he'd been a fool to think a bit of affection could bridge the gaping chasm between them. There was no other way but to give up. Right?
"I just want to know…" he found himself saying. "if there was even a chance… if… any of it was real." He sighed. "I mean… did she ever truly care about me at all?"
Luna only stared at him. With those huge blue eyes that were nothing like Haley's. But they were familiar. Patient. Kind. Expectant. Expectant?
She sighed. "I could tell you what I think," she said quietly. "But honestly, I think I'm not the person you really need to ask that question."
She was right. As always. There was someone else he wanted to ask… But he wasn't sure… if he was ready to hear the answer.
…
Not even the Hufflepuffs respected him any more. Earlier that day on the way back from Magical Creatures he'd caught that slimy Macmillion or whatever his name was snickering at him. Snickering. Looking down on him. As if he was thinking, I know what you are. Son of a Death Eater. But shouldn't he be scared, then? Instead of taunting him?
And Draco couldn't even defend himself. Because then those idiots would know that he read the interview. And that he was bothered by it. Somehow… it even felt like an insult. But that didn't make sense. All his life his father had been a Death Eater (or former Death Eater) and it had never bothered him. Or anyone for that matter. Why should he feel ashamed of that now? Why should he let others look down on him? What did they even know about him? Nothing!
"Nothing?"
"What?" he asked surprisedly.
"Why did you say that?" Luna asked, taking his mind back to the library.
"I didn't…" Had he said that out loud? He shook his head. "It's nothing."
"Hm." The girl nodded but in the way her eyebrow was slightly raised, he could see that she wasn't convinced.
"Now, you're disrespecting me, too?" He hissed, the anger still lingering on the surface.
She only frowned, staring at him as if she was trying to read his thoughts.
"Was it your idea? The interview?"
Luna didn't even blink. "It was Hermione's idea."
"Of course." He scoffed. "When did you even have time to do all of this? And with Rita Skeeter of all people."
"Hermione arranged most of it. We met her in Hogsmeade last weekend."
In Hogsmeade. Last weekend. On Valentine's Day… But he'd been with Haley the whole–
No. Not the whole day. She'd met with a friend before coming to him…
That meant… she'd done the interview right before their date. That's why she had seemed slightly off the whole time. He felt sick. Like someone had hit him with an Impedimenta. Knowing that she'd planned to do all of this on their date, on Valentine's Day, made everything so much worse. If that was possible.
"On Valentine's Day? She planned this?"
"To be fair, Haley didn't know about the interview until the moment, she saw us sitting around a table with Rita."
Draco snorted. "Still, that didn't stop her from dragging my family name through the mud."
So, she hadn't planned it beforehand. But still… she'd pretended nothing was wrong and even given him that stupid chocolate. You're my Chosen One. I'm crazy about you.
What a joke. He should have known it was too good to be true.
"I don't understand why you don't go and talk to her if that's so obviously what you want to do."
Phrased like this it sounded easy. But it was anything but that.
"Here." Luna placed a folded up note in front of him. "It's a note from Haley."
Draco frowned. "What does she want?"
"I don't know. I didn't read it." Her matter-of-fact way of saying that baffled him slightly. She had probably not even considered reading it. Were all non-Slytherins like that? Probably not.
Somehow he wished she had read it. He didn't want to find out what was waiting inside.
With a sigh, Draco unfolded the note. Slowly. Carefully. Like it was going to explode as soon as the message became visible.
She wanted to meet him. To talk. Explain. What was there to explain?
"What does it say?"
Draco shoved the note over to her without a word.
"Are you going to go?" Luna asked, after reading the note.
He crossed his arms and looked to the side. "Why should I?" He mumbled quietly.
"Don't you want to?"
"I–" He shook his head. He didn't know. He wasn't ready. Didn't want to hear any more excuses. Didn't want her to hurt him even more.
"What should I tell her then?" Luna asked patiently. How was she always this calm?
"Tell her I…" I hate this. Take it back. Everything you said. Please. He couldn't say any of that. It wasn't that easy. Did she even know how much she hurt him? "Tell her I have nothing to say to back-stabbing Gryffindors who'd sell out their own grandmother in the name of justice and honour."
Luna watched him for a moment as if trying to find out whether he was joking. "All right. If that's what you want me to tell her."
He nodded once sharply. He knew his behaviour was extremely petty. But he didn't care. Much.
Luna didn't reply for a while. But there was something obnoxiously loud in her silence. "Don't." Draco said irritably.
"I'm not doing anything." She replied innocently.
"You are. I can hear your disapproval loud and clear."
The girl shrugged. "I wouldn't call it disapproval. I merely have a… different opinion than you."
He chuckled. This was such a typically Ravenclaw answer. Did she talk to the teachers like that as well?
"Well, you can keep your opinion to yourself," he spat.
Luna kept stubbornly quiet. But somehow her silence spoke louder than words. And those words were definitely disapproving, no matter how she tried to rephrase it.
…
"You didn't say it right. You were supposed to say 'I have nothing to say to back-stabbing Gryffindors who'd sell out their own grandmother in the name of justice and honour'."
"Oh. Well, you never said to relay it word-by-word. Where is the creativity in that?" Luna said innocently.
"Besides, you saw her reaction just now. Don't you think that was enough?"
The girl was right. Haley had almost looked like she was about to faint. It had been so hard not to run to her side and make sure she was okay.
"You heard her," Luna continued. "She hasn't given up yet."
No. She hadn't. It was reassuring in a way. That she wanted to fight for him. Didn't it mean that she cared? If only a bit? It would have been crushingly disappointing if she had given up on him that quickly.
"What are you going to do now?" Luna wanted to know.
"I…" He didn't know. He didn't know what to do.
"When in doubt go back to the start."
"Hm?"
"When did the trouble start?"
"Oh." He understood. "The interview. Well, if I could go back in time-"
"Not in time." Luna shook her head. "Maybe it's enough to go back to the interview. But not from your perspective. Try hers instead."
Draco frowned. "I don't see how that's going to solve anything."
"It might," she offered thoughtfully. "Or it might not. I can't predict the future with complete accuracy."
Well, that sounded promising.
…
If Draco was honest, he hadn't actually read the interview. Not completely in any case. He'd read until the point where his father had been mentioned and then carelessly skimmed over the rest. He'd been too angry to read it properly. So… was it possible that he'd missed something? Something that might serve as a missing puzzle piece and provide him with a solution?
"Draco?" The door to the dormitory opened, carrying with it a low grunting voice. Goyle.
"What is it?" He didn't bother sitting up from where he was lying on his bed.
"Professor Snape wants to see you."
What? "Snape? Why?" What did he want that late in the evening?
"Dunno. He just said he wants to see you."
Draco sighed. It looked as though the article would have to wait until later. Snape wouldn't call him to his office at this hour if it wasn't anything urgent or important. Hopefully, there was nothing wrong with his family.
Fortunately, he hadn't changed into his pyjamas yet. He got up and left the dorm.
…
"Do come in." Professor Snape's distant voice greeted him, when he knocked on the door to his office. The door magically opened and Draco had no choice but to step into the office. It was uncomfortable. Not knowing what to expect. How to act. He schooled his face into a neutral mask.
"Good evening, professor. You wanted to see me?" Perfectly polite. He was good at this.
Snape who was standing at the back of the room in front of a shelf, pointed toward the seat on the other side of his desk.
Draco slowly took a seat. The man wasn't giving anything away either. With a flick of his wand he made the door fall shut and did something else. Lock it, perhaps? Now, he was starting to feel worried.
"Did you just lock the-"
"Why do you think I called you here tonight?" His voice was calm. Patient. But his gaze was focused on something on the shelf in front of him. He wasn't even looking at Draco.
"I don't know." He furrowed his brows. "Perhaps you didn't like my last essay?"
"It was a rather poor essay, now that you mention it."
Draco scoffed. "So? Why don't you fail me, then."
The man tsked. "You disappoint me. I did not take you as the kind of person who neglects their school work because of a girl."
"I'm not – I – what are you talking about?"
"You hide it well. Better than Potter. But it is quite clear that something happened. A fallout perhaps? A break-up?" He still had his back turned to Draco.
"We didn't break up – it's–" He broke off. "What is this? Did you call me here to give me relationship advice?" The thought was ridiculous. "Well, you're too late."
"Oh, I see. You have already given up then? Well, infatuations like these come and go-"
"What choice do I have but to give up?" Draco interrupted. "Besides, she's the one who gave up first! She betrayed me!" After everything. Everything he'd done for her.
Finally, Snape turned away from the shelf and faced him. "You are upset because of that Quibbler interview."
"It's not that blasted interview I'm upset about! I – " He sighed, taking a deep breath. "I just wanted her to take my side for once. Just once. And she couldn't do that."
Snape lifted an eyebrow. Silently asking for an explanation. Why was he even telling the man all of this? Sometimes, it felt as if he was pulling his thoughts right out of his head.
He looked away. "I asked her… if she would betray me… if I was a Death Eater." He admitted quietly. "She couldn't answer. All this time, I've tried to ignore it but we really are… from two different worlds." He chuckled darkly. "She clearly doesn't want to live in mine. And I… I'm not sure I want to live in hers, if it's too much for her to take my side. Even hypothetically."
When he glanced back to the professor, it seemed like the man was looking right into his head. It made Draco feel incredibly vulnerable. All of this did. He should never have told him any of this.
Suddenly, he had an overpowering urge to storm out of the office. To flee. "Well, if that's all I'm going to-"
Snape took a seat opposite him and gave a short wave with his wand. Two black steaming tea cups came swishing through the air and landed on top of the desk.
"It is just tea," the man explained. There was an amused lilt to his voice. "I would like to tell you a story, Draco."
What? What kind of strange parallel universe had he stumbled into now? Draco eyed the cup sceptically. Then he pulled it toward him. At least it warmed his cold hands.
Snape folded his hands on top of the table. "Many years ago there was a young wizard who led… a rather lonely and aimless life until he met a young witch."
Draco tried not to roll his eyes. A love story?
"Despite their very different backgrounds they soon became friends. They did not care what other people thought of them. Or what they said. Nobody understood that they did not let their differences divide them and instead… focused on the things they had in common. The things that connected them." Draco spotted the hint of a smile on the man's face. Not really a smile. Just… the idea of it.
"They were from two worlds, if you will. But instead of letting that keep each other apart they carved out a third one. A world that was their own. Where no one could touch them." He paused, reaching for his own cup and staring into it, as if the rest of the story was reflected on the surface.
Draco cleared his throat. "So… you're telling me I should-"
"I am not finished with the story." He took a sip of the hot liquid and frowned as if the taste disappointed him. "As the wizard and the witch grew older, their differences seemed to increase as well. At school, they joined different houses and found other friends, besides each other. Still, as before, they carved out a sphere that was just their own. They held onto what had drawn them together in the first place. But as the years went on," The frown on his face deepened. "It became harder and harder to ignore the voices telling them that they did not belong together. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor could never be friends. Or anything other than enemies."
"A Gryffindor and a Slytherin?" Draco could barely stop himself from gaping. This was unheard of. Whose story was that? Was Snape making it all up for his sake?
The professor smirked. "This is the part that you find remarkable?"
"Well, I…"
Snape snorted. "May I continue?"
Draco nodded. He found that he was actually interested in how the story continued. Would the Slytherin and the Gryffindor be able to overcome their differences in the end?
"The young wizard," Something dark clouded over the man's face. "Made a few extremely terrible choices. He… was blinded by his own arrogance and ambitions. They caused him to drive away his precious friend. When it was her, he should have chosen, he stuck with what was more convenient. What was expected of him. And… later when he realized his mistake… it was already too late. The world the two of them had build together was shattered beyond repair. And he had no one to blame but himself."
This time Draco did gape. Slightly. He hadn't expected the story to take such a hopeless turn. It was silent for a few moments. Snape looked as if his mind was miles away. Was the story over?
"Draco," the man addressed him, finally. "We cannot change the past. But perhaps we can learn from it." Suddenly, a strange thought came to the boy. Could it be that…?
"I am not trying to tell you what to do. Or which choice to make. No one can take that from you." He stared into his teacup again. "But I want you to know that some things might be worth fighting for. And it may not always be easy to make the right choice but that does not mean there is none. There is always a choice. What you need to understand, however, is whatever you are is going to choose, you are the one who will have to live with it. So, you need to ask yourself, can you live with that choice? Or are you going to be that fool who regrets it for the rest of his life?"
He gazed at Draco with an urgency that made him almost sure that the story he'd been told… was actually Snape's. He'd been young once. And in love. And he regretted not fighting for his love. It was almost impossible to imagine. Suddenly, he had the urge to ask. The Gryffindor… who had it been?
"I'm not a fool." He whispered instead.
For the first time, that night, Snape's features relaxed. "If you say so." The left corner of his mouth pulled upwards in amusement. "Now, do me a favour and return to your dorm. I have dealt with enough teenage drama for at least ten years."
"Right." He got up and made his way to the door. Before opening it, he stopped. "The witch in the story… what was her name?"
Instead of answering, Snape only sighed and unlocked the door with a swish of his wand. "Goodnight, Draco." He said in a way, that made it clear, he was not going to answer the question. Well. That wasn't a problem. Surely, it wouldn't be too hard to find out on his own.
"Goodnight professor. And-" He bit his lips. He had been about to say 'thank you'. Huh. The potion master would have laughed at him!
"What now?" He asked impatiently.
Draco cleared his throat sheepishly. "Never mind." With that, he opened the door and finally left the office. There was so much to consider. So much to think about. It really had been an eventful day.
…
"You didn't tell me she was tortured." He glared at Luna, as if it was her fault. "Haley was tortured and I didn't know." He understood it now. Why Haley had done the interview. Why she had wanted to take some form of revenge. He wanted to take revenge. His own father had stood there and laughed while his girlfriend had been tortured. For all he knew. The mere knowledge was practically unbearable. Could it really be true? Well, at leat he hadn't been the one doing the torturing.
"I thought you'd read the interview." The girl replied calmly. In the deserted corridor her voice sounded unnaturally loud.
"I – not properly," Draco admitted. "I wish she would have told me. I wish I didn't have to find out like this." He'd probably been the last to know. It made him feel incredibly stupid. Useless.
"Tell Haley that." Luna advised, placing a hand on his arm. The weight was comforting. "Why don't you go and tell her after the game? You're going to cheer for Gryffindor, too, aren't you?"
"Not outwardly." He scoffed. "Cheer twice as hard for me, will you?"
"I will." Luna smiled. She believed in him. He could tell. And it felt amazing. Like he was doing the right thing. Like he was about to make the right choice. Like he wasn't a fool for not giving up hope.
…
HALEY
Crushed by the Hufflepuffs. It was worse than the game in third year where she'd fallen off her broomstick because of those dementors. She hadn't gotten enough sleep. And during the game, she hadn't been able to focus because her gaze kept wandering toward the Slytherins, looking for a familiar face. But she hadn't found him. He hadn't even come to the game. Did he despise her that much? And then she'd seen Zacharias Smith speeding toward the snitch. Not even with her Firebolt she had been able to catch it first. What a disappointment.
And now her whole house probably hated her. Awesome. After she had finished her shower, the only person left in the changing room was Ron. It was hard to tell who of them felt worse. Ron had let his fair share of quaffles through the goal hoops. He probably felt just as bad as her. Wordlessly, the two friends stepped outside, where they were greeted by Hermione and Luna.
"Finally," Hermione exclaimed. "We were actually worried you somehow drowned yourselves in the shower."
Ron's face darkened.
"Too early for jokes?" Hermione asked, glancing at Haley.
"I'm sure the next game will go better." Luna commented. "You both did your best." It was clear, she was trying to cheer them up but unfortunately, Ron was beyond the point where that worked.
"Hey, Ron, why don't we play a round of chess, once we're back?"
The boy only grunted, which could have meant anything. But Haley was sure he'd be more responsive once they weren't in the vicinity of the quidditch field any more.
"Oh, you can't go back yet, Haley." Hermione stopped her before she could take more than a few steps toward the castle.
"Hm?"
She shared a grin with Luna. "You've got somewhere else to be."
"What?" She didn't understand.
"Was it a willow?" Hermione turned to Luna in confusion. "Or an oak? I can't remember."
The way she was grinning… And Luna was smiling, too…
"It was a willow." She said. "Somewhere close to the lake?"
Haley didn't need to hear any more. She was off like a snitch set free from its leathery prison.
…
The first thing she saw was the umbrella. It soared high up in the branches invitingly. And next to it, there was him. Like he'd been waiting. Just for her. It was a good sign. It had to be. Or not? What if he'd simply asked her to come so he could break up with her properly? Her heart plummeted. That couldn't be it, could it?
When he noticed her approaching, he looked up. His face wasn't betraying anything. Haley was about to open her mouth, to say something when the boy nodded toward the umbrella. Right. They couldn't risk people overhearing them. Draco stepped toward the umbrella and vanished in a flash of light. Haley followed him without giving it a second thought.
…
DRACO
"Well…that was a lousy game." He said, almost as soon as she stepped into their confined time zone.
Haley looked at him as if he was a troll. Perhaps, not the best thing to say to your kinda-still girlfriend who you've been in a fight with and are trying to make up with.
She scoffed, crossing her arms. "How would you know? You weren't even there."
"Were you looking for me?"
"No." She glared at him. "Why would I look for someone who obviously doesn't want to see me? And doesn't have anything to say to me."
Draco grimaced. He had said that. "Well, I was angry. But actually I do have something to say–"
"I don't want to hear it!" Haley exclaimed, covering her ears with her hands. "I'm not letting you break up with me. You can't just decide that on your own. I won't let you!" The fire in her eyes was threatening to scorch him.
What had she just said? "I'm – I –" He shook his head. "I wasn't going to break up with you."
"Exactly, so I – wait, you weren't?"
"No." He said simply. "Although, I thought about it."
Haley looked at him, as if he'd told her she would never be able to eat treacle tarts ever again. "Why?"
"That night at the grave yard…" he began quietly. "You were tortured."
She flinched slightly, before wrapping her arms around her middle, as if to hug herself.
"I didn't know." He whispered. "I only found out through that blasted interview. I wish you would have told me."
"So?" She scoffed. "What use would that have been? It's in the past. How would it have made you feel? I didn't want you to feel conflicted. Or pressure you into taking my side."
"But that's just the problem, Haley!" He gripped her shoulders urgently. "You're not even giving me a chance. Maybe I want to take your side!"
"But what about your family?" She argued. "Isn't that why you were mad in the first place?"
"I was… but I kind of understand it now. Why you did the interview."
"You do?" She seemed surprised. But in a positive way. "So you're not mad any more?"
He looked into Haley's green hopeful eyes for a moment and tried not to get sucked in by their depth. There was still something… something that bothered him. Something he couldn't just let go.
"Why won't you take my side?" He whispered softly, his fingers sliding down to her arms.
"What do you mean?" She asked just as quietly.
He really didn't want to spell it out for her. "When I asked you… if you'd tell them my name… if I was a Death Eater… you couldn't answer." He sighed. "I just – to know that you're always going to choose truth and justice over me is… I don't know if that's something I can bear." He wasn't one of those good-spirited Hufflepuffs. He wasn't selfless. Or very honourable. He wanted to be her first priority. She was his first priority. Well, most of the time.
"Draco, that's…" Haley gently took his hands into her own and warmed his cold skin with soft strokes of her fingers. "You got that wrong. I… the reason I didn't answer you was because… I literally couldn't."
He frowned. What was that supposed to mean?
"The moment you asked me if I'd tell them about you, I realized that I couldn't. I'd cover up the sodding truth. I'd lie for you. In a heartbeat." There weren't any signs of dishonesty on her face. Her gaze was clear, unwavering and urgent. Was this… the truth?
"What?" He asked soundlessly.
"I'd never betray you. I couldn't." Her earnestness was disarming. Had he been worrying and hurting for nothing all this time?
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't understand," she admitted, her grip on his hands tightening slightly. "It wasn't right. I had just publicly accused all these people because of the terrible things they'd done and yet… for you… I would have made an exception. No matter what you did. I'd protect you." She squeezed his hands. "It made me feel like such a hypocrite. I didn't know any more… whether I was doing the right thing."
There was so much uncertainty and conflict in Haley's eyes. Honestly, that admission made so much sense – from a Gryffindor perspective. But what was much more important was that her words warmed him, melting away the last remnants of uncertainty and hurt that had settled in his chest.
He wasn't sure what happened first. If he opened his arms or if Haley settled against him. But that wasn't really relevant. What was more important was that they were finally where they belonged. In a world that was just their own.
…
HALEY
Haley had missed him. She had missed that boy so much and she'd been able to see him every day. But it hadn't been like this. She'd been so scared of losing him. And she almost had. Because of an interview.
"I'm sorry," she whispered against his robes.
"Hm?"
"Not for doing the interview. But-" It was hard to phrase it right. "He's your father… I… I'm sorry for hurting you."
"As you should be," he mumbled petulantly, hugging her even closer.
She chuckled. He could be so childish.
"I'll make it up to you," she promised.
"How?" She could practically hear him quirk an eyebrow.
"I don't know. Is there something you want?"
Draco pulled away slightly and slowly let his eyes roam over her as if he had to convince them she was really there.
He bit his lips like he wasn't sure about his next words. "I want a world." He whispered. "Build one for me."
"A world?" That really was the last thing she'd expected.
"It doesn't have to be exceptionally big." He interlaced his fingers with hers. "Just make it big enough to fit me… and you."
He meant that symbolically… right? He didn't want her to actually build a world for him? Or did he?
"Er… I'll give it a try?"
A tiny smile appeared on his lips just for a second. Then he said, "You should put in some effort. I have high expectations."
"Tell me something new…" she muttered, rolling her eyes.
"What was that?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Nothing." She replied innocently.
Draco snorted. "You're awfully confident for someone who just lost a quidditch game. Against Hufflepuff."
Haley pouted. That had been really low. She pulled free from his grasp and turned her back to him, "You just had to remind me of that, didn't you. I was just… a little bit distracted." She crossed her arms.
"Right. Because you were looking for me."
"You wish!"
"Do you want to know a secret?" Haley heard his voice close to her ear. Then his fingers slowly crawled toward her waist. She shook her head but didn't fight his arms wrapping around her.
"I sat with the Ravenclaws. That's why you didn't find me," he whispered, his breath ghosting over the side of her face.
"What? Why would you do that?"
"I can hardly cheer you on when I'm surrounded by my housemates."
She frowned. "But… the other students, did no one notice you?"
"I used my metamorph mirror." He dead-panned, rolling his eyes.
She didn't believe this. How was he always this sweet? He had just insulted her and here she was, completely charmed.
She turned around in his arms, so she could look at his face. "You should have cheered louder. Maybe we would have won then." Her arms came up to his shoulder, where her fingers started to play with the soft strands of his hair.
He snorted. "Are you trying to blame me for losing the game right now?"
"I might… is it working?" She bit her lips, trying not to grin.
Draco rolled his eyes. "No… " He seemed to reconsider. "Well, perhaps if you sit with the Slytherins and cheer me on next time."
Haley wasn't sure whether he was joking or actually serious. But the way in which his fingers were tapping against her back impatiently told her there was at least a small part of him who wanted her to come and cheer for him. It was endearing. With the knuckles of her right hand, she gently caressed the side of his face. Carefully, like it was made of glass. It was unreal how soft his skin was. Just when she was about to stretch up on her tiptoes and steal a fleeting kiss from his lips he leaned down and met her halfway.
It was magic. Maybe a different kind than waving wands and uttering incantations but definitely magic. She never wanted to let anything come between them again. Not even that pink elephant in the room that kept not-reminding her of all the things that made them different. That should divide them. The elephant could go look for its own room for all she cared. She hadn't invited it.
"So you'll cheer for me?" Draco asked, pulling away for a moment.
"Yeah, okay." She would have agreed to anything in that moment. Anything he wanted. As long as he kept smiling at her like that.
…
DRACO
They were going to make this work. He was sure of it now. He kissed her lips again and again, pressing their bodies closer, closer together until he could feel her heart beating against his chest.
They had fought, yes. But he knew now that fighting wasn't the end of the world. They could also get over it. Together. They could get over anything together. As long as they didn't give up. So what, if they belonged to different worlds. No one could stop them from building their own world.
Together.
…
A/N: There you have the reunion! I hope you like it :) I know it's been ages... sorry. I struggled a bit with the end of the chapter actually. But I think it turned out okay... And I've been feeling super uninspired lately, so I don't even have the next chapter pre-written. (Which is unusual for me.) Well... let me know what you think. I hope all of you are safe! I'll answer all of your reviews soon. They mean the world to me!