Ella didn't meet Draco for their tutoring session this week. She didn't meet anyone for anything. She stayed in her bed for a solid week and wouldn't move. Nothing frustrated her more than when her friends fought, and this was something else. Something.. she didn't understand. Ron had tried to check on her a couple of times, but Harry and Draco had mostly left her alone.
She pulls herself out of bed to float down to the library, just to exchange her books for something more refreshing. She's in one of the aisles when she feels a cold hand on her arm, she knows who it is before she looks. Draco Malfoy. The smell of cologne and mint was intoxicating.
"Ella, I am.. so, sorry for my behavior last week. I just. I don't know how to control my anger." He admits, his hand not leaving her arm.
Ella looks up at him, feeling small, "I just don't understand what's going on. You're both my mates and I just.. I don't know entirely what to do here. Feels like I am being forced to choose."
His hand drifts down her arm to her hand, putting it into his, "You do not need to choose between us. I just want you to do.. what is in your best interest."
She looks down at their intertwined hands, "You knew where you had smelled your potion before, didn't you?" She says it so quietly, it's barely above a whisper.
His response is so quiet, she's not sure if she even heard it, almost just felt like a cold breeze. "Yeah, I did."
"What does that mean?" She says really weakly, as if she had a fever.
Draco's silence feels like it is hours long, "We both know what that means."
"Ella?" Hermione exclaims, dropping her books. Standing at the end of the aisle, an ever so bright Hermione Granger, her arms full of books, a huge smile on her face.
Ella quickly takes her hand from Draco's, blushing furiously, "Hermione. I was going to find you-"
Hermione shakes her head, walking up to Ella and grabbing her by the arm, gently tugging her away from Draco, "Are you all right? I was worried sick about you. I know Harry was being so out of line-"
"We can catch up later, all right?" Draco says, brushing past the two girls. A cold breeze passing and a faint scent of green apple as well.
"Was he.. bothering you?" Hermione asks.
Ella shakes her head, "Quite the opposite, actually." She says, as she sees Draco's retreating figure.
He said, we will talk later, but now it's been 2 weeks. Where did he go? Ella couldn't make it obvious she was looking for Draco, for very obvious reasons (Harry). She felt like they had reached a very odd part of their friendship, and then he disappears? What kind of joke was that?
And you know what, she was starting to get worried. Like, really worried. She casually waited outside some of his classes, and he wasn't there. He was no where to be found. He wasn't even in the castle.
Neville and Ella had gone on a day trip to Hogsmeade, Ella looking through each shop. Then, out of the corner of her eye, a flash of bright blonde hair. Almost white.
She turns to Neville quickly, "I'll be back in just a minute." Touching his arm lightly before darting out of the shop. The wind is blowing furiously, and it's beginning to rain. Ella darts down a dark alley, suddenly an eerie feeling crawling up her spine.
Suddenly she's pulled into a dark shop, no lights on.
"Are you mad?"
She recognizes the scent immediately, a sigh of relief escaping, "Draco, where have you been?"
Draco is breathing heavy, as if he had been running, "Family business, love." It slips out so casually, love, as if he'd been calling her that all his life. He immediately realizes his misstep, "Ella." He corrects himself.
Ella suddenly realizes how close they are, and how tight the space is that he brought her into. "I was worried about you. You haven't been in your classes."
Draco laughs, which was an odd sound, something she hadn't really heard too much of. "You've been checking my classes?"
Ella shakes her head, suddenly embarrassed, "If you're going to disappear, you ought to let someone know."
Ella all of a sudden hugs him, pulling his body to hers and shoving her face into his chest. As if they've been mates for a long time.
His arms enwrap her, "I'm fine, I promise." Draco laughs, a warm sound, usually so cold. "Oddly affectionate. Maybe I should be gone for longer."
She pulls away from him, "Where were you? Why won't you give me a straight answer?"
Draco shakes his head, looking away from her, "I can't say."
"Why?" She grabs his hand, begging him to look at her, "Is it.. a death eater thing?" She asks so quietly, she almost feels like she could shove the words back in her mouth.
Draco closes his eyes, "Just.. know... just promise me, you won't hate me. No matter what happens."
Ella shakes her head, pulling away from him, tears filling her eyes, "What do you mean, Draco?" Her voice lowers, "Are you hurting people?"
Draco doesn't answer her, his head shaking, "Ella. I.. I know we.. are getting close. But.. I don't want to put your safety at risk." His voice cracks, a whisper now, "I am in some pretty deep shit, some stuff you.. couldn't even begin to understand."
Ella puts her hand on his face, "Let me help you, please."
"It's not safe." He takes her hand, holding it for a moment before letting it drop to her side.
"If you are in danger, you need to tell someone. Dumbledore, McGonagall, someone!" She insists, "I can go with you, please."
Draco shakes his head again, "I can't. It's not that simple. You.. you can't help me. No one can. I have to do this on my own." He suddenly hears a noise, turning to it, "I have to go, you have to go."
He starts pulling her to the door, before she can even form a thought, the door shuts in her face.
What the fuck is going on with Draco Malfoy?
"Ella, you alright?" Ron asks, breaking her out of her haze.
She shakes her head, moving her peas around her plate, "Sorry, bit out of it. Slept odd."
"Nothing to do with Malfoy's sudden return?" Ron pesters.
Ella drops her fork on her plate in frustration, "Merlins beard! Stop asking me about Draco Malfoy!"
The sudden cry caused Harry to look up from his notes, "Ella, what is going on?" He asks.
Ella pushes herself away from the table, standing up abruptly, "Nothing, ok? I'm going to bed!"
Ella rushes out of the hall, her thoughts racing in her head. Draco was in danger. Like, serious danger. Probably dark lord danger. With Voldemort getting stronger everyday, whatever he asked Draco to do had to be bad. Like, really bad. She couldn't even promise not to hate him.
The room of requirement suddenly appears to her, she's confused. The room of requirement.. only shows up in times you need it. She didn't need it, she needed to go to bed. She tentatively enters the room. She can hear someone else in there with her. She ducks behind a large vanity.
In the distance, she sees Draco, placing an item into a large wardrobe, and shutting the door. He waits a few seconds before opening it back up, to reveal whatever object he had put inside was now gone.
What on earth was he up to?
