Chapter 23 – Peaceful Silence

After H pointed out that Dumbledore was out more often these days, we noticed that we hardly saw him during meal times anymore. This, of course, led to wide spread speculations. We wondered if frequent outings were something related to Voldemort. Harry was getting frustrated, he assumed these lessons with Dumbledore would be more regular.

While Harry was off practising with the team H and I had to attend Prof. Slughorn's dinner parties. I didn't understand the point of it all. He called us the 'Slug Club'. I, so, didn't like the name.

He looked at me and asked cheerfully, "Ms. Shepherd, where is Harry, my boy?"

"Sir, He's at Quidditch practise." I said.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he is deliberately setting Quidditch practices on the nights I invite you all for dinner." He laughed.

H and I looked at each other uncomfortably and laughed. "You know how boys are about Quidditch. He is really passionate about the game."

"Ah, yes. I've heard he's quite a player. Heard he takes after his father. But I also heard you're his girlfriend. Don't girlfriends have unfair advantage over their boyfriends! Maybe you can use it next time and get him to come."

"I most definitely will try, Sir."

Then he let us be and began to bother the other members of Slug Club.


"H, you go ahead. I want to talk to Blaise."

She nodded understandingly and left. I told her about the situation with Draco. She found it strange. Being the good friend that she is, she held me as I cried and repeated everything to her. I even confessed my suspicions to her but she dismissed it saying he was an underage wizard.

"Blaise?" He turned back to look at me. "Can we talk?"

He nodded.

"What is wrong with Draco? He doesn't seem to be eating much these days." I noticed that he only moves food around his plate. He hardly eats. His skin has turned sickly pale. There are circles under his eyes. "Does he even sleep?"

He shrugged, "I'm not sure. He seems to be disappearing a lot these days. Hardly spends time in the common room anymore. He's lagging behind in a lot of subjects."

"Disappearing? Did you try talking and find out what he's up to?"

"He won't tell anyone anything. He takes Crabbe and Goyle along with him. The only thing I've gotten out of the dunderheads is that Draco asks them to keep a look out for him. He hasn't told them what he is up to either."

"Did you follow him?" I asked a little too hopefully.

"I didn't say I was going to follow him around." He raised his eyebrow at me.

"Just trying out my luck. Did you find out anything else? Anything else that seems out of ordinary."

"I tried to follow him a couple of times. But he keeps taking different routes around the castle to his destination so I lose him." He looked like he was thinking about something. "Wait, Snape wants to meet him. He ordered Draco to meet him a few times but Draco refuses to meet him."

Why didn't I think about Prof. Snape?! He most definitely knows what is happening with Draco. How to do I get him to tell me?

"Thanks, Blaise. The library and the forbidden forest – Luna spends a lot of time in these places. So, if you want to get to know her, these are the places you should check."

He looked at me nonchalantly. "I don't know what you're talking about." He walked away.

I rolled my eyes and went back to the Gryffindor Tower. I saw that H, Harry and Ron were already sitting on the chairs near the fireplace and discussing something. When Harry saw me, he smiled at me. I sat next to him.

An idea hit me. "Harry, will you let me borrow the map for a short while?"

"What do you need it for?" Harry asked. Do I hear suspicion?

"Well, 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good'." I said and they laughed.

"Seriously why do you need it?" Harry asked again.

"Because, I want to keep an eye on you. I want to know what you do in the castle when I'm in classes. Also, I want to see if you really go off to practice while H and I suffer those horrible dinner parties."

"They are not so bad." H said.

"You like them a lot, do you?" Ron asked her sharply.

"Not a lot. A little. They are not as bad as we assumed they would be." She shot back at him.

Ron was about to say something when I cut him in between and said, "So, will you give me the map?" I added puppy dog eyes for dramatic effect.

"Not if you're going to be a possessive girlfriend."

"Please Harry. Please, please, please, pretty please, please, please! I'll owe you one. I'll do anything you want me to, please, please, please!"

"Okay fine! I'll give it to you tomorrow."

"Please go get it now." I grinned at him.

"But I'm here now, you don't have to keep a look out on me." He pulled me closer. "You have to tell me who you really want to keep a watch on." He whispered.

"I can't tell you right now. Please."

He nodded and went up to the boys' dorm to get the map for me. How am I going to explain to Harry that I want to keep a watch on Draco? I'll cross the bridge when I get there.


After he gave me the map, we talked for a little while more. Harry still trying to convince us that Draco was up to something. We went to bed after dismissing Harry's 'Draco-is-a-death-eater' theory. As soon as I drew the curtains around my bed, I whispered to the map, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

The blank parchment suddenly showed the bird's eye view of Hogwarts. The map showed me on my bed. Harry and Ron appeared to be sleeping. I continued to look through the parchment. I searched for the Slytherin dungeons. I didn't find Draco in his bed. I looked for Crabbe and Goyle as well. They were sleeping. Where could Draco be? I kept searching the map.

I found him. I found him in one of the boys' toilets. Why would he be there now? What surprised me even more – Moaning Myrtle was keeping him company! What the hell is going on? This is the best chance I have. I checked for Filch, Mrs. Norris and the prefects' whereabouts. At that moment, no one was near Draco. I wore my shoes and a jacket over my nightclothes and left my room. I put a 'silencio' on my shoes before I left through the portrait door. Wish I'd borrowed the cloak as well. I kept checking the map so I don't run into any unwanted people though I was taking the shortcuts to the toilet.

When I was outside the door, I heard Draco say, "I don't know how long I can do this."

I whispered to the map, "Mischief managed." The parchment went blank and I put in my pocket.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do." Myrtle said in a singsong manner.

"Easier said then done." Draco replied bitterly. "There's no way out of it." He sounded like he was in pain.

Unable to hold myself back anymore, I pushed the door as quietly as I could. But the door creaked anyway. Instinctively, Draco drew his wand and pointed it at me. I didn't say anything. He didn't say anything. He didn't lower his wand either. He looked like he was angry and relieved at the same time.

I slowly moved towards him. When I was right in front of his wand, he said, "Stay where you are!"

I stopped. "Hi." I said hoping to defuse the tension.

"What are you doing here?" He said angrily. "How did you know I was here?"

"I was taking a night-time stroll around the castle and I heard you."

He snorted, "Shepherd, you're not very good at lying."

"I'm worried for you. You won't even talk to me. I don't know what you're up to. Whatever it is, it's taking a toll on you. Talk to me."

"I'm not going to talk to you. Why on earth would I talk to you?"

" 'Cause I'm you're best friend. I deserve to know what is going on with you."

"Deserve to know? Are you kidding me? You of all the people don't deserve to know anything. Just because you're Harry Potter's girlfriend, it doesn't mean you can put your nose where it doesn't belong." He shouted at me.

That felt like a slap on my face. I glared at him. I cast a silencing charm on the door. I looked at Myrtle and said, "Leave."

"I don't take orders from you." She retorted.

"I said LEAVE!" I shouted.

For a moment I felt like she wouldn't leave. She looked at me coldly. So did I. After a tense few minutes she went down one of the toilets.

"You of all the people can't talk like to me. You freaking didn't reply to any of my owls. You won't to talk to me. You won't even look at me. What is wrong with you?" I shouted at him.

He sneered at me. "None of this is going to work on me, Nat."

"Why, Draco? You are driving me nuts. What are doing to yourself? Are you trying to kill yourself slowly by not eating? When was the last time you slept? How come I don't mean anything to you now? Why is this hurting me so much but you don't seem to be affected by us not being friends anymore?" Angry tears started flowing from my eyes.

He didn't make any attempt to say or do anything. But bound by habit, I did the only thing that came naturally to me. I went close to him and put my arms around his neck and hugged him. He froze under my touch. I continued to cry on him. He, however, didn't make a move.

After a long time, his hands moved to hold me closer to him. "Nat, you make everything so difficult." It sounded like he said it more to himself rather than me.

"What are you up to?" I whispered to his chest.

"You know I won't tell you." He sounded more like the Draco I knew all my life.

"You know I won't stop asking."

"I don't want to involve you."

"You can tell me. I won't tell anyone else."

I felt him snort into my hair. "I know you won't."

I pulled back a little. "Then tell me."

"No."

I took a deep breath to control my temper. Now is not the time to yell at him. "Let's go Dumbledore. He'll know what to do. He'll help us for sure."

I saw the sneer come back to his face. "That old fool can't help me. Nobody can help me."

"If you won't ask for help how will know if someone can help you or not?"

He held the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb, "You're beginning to get on my nerves again."

I can't believe he said that. We just had a break through, like a few seconds ago. "Fine. I'll leave and let you get back to slowly killing yourself."

I glared at him and turned to leave. I took a few steps towards the door but he took my arm and stopped me. He looked back at him angrily.

"Stay a little while more, please." He said desperately.

There are very few things in this world that I wouldn't do for Draco. But when he asked me to stay so sadly and desperately I felt something break inside of me. He sounded so broken.

I hugged him again. This time he hugged me back quickly. A little while later, we sat down on the floor next to each other. Draco cast a warming charm around us. Neither of us spoke. It felt criminal to break this peaceful silence. But I want to ask him so many things. He really needs this, so, I'll shut up for now.


"You ready to go?" Harry asked me.

"Um…okay." I was thinking about Draco. What was bothering him? No matter how many times I asked him he wouldn't answer me.

"You look pre-occupied. What are you thinking about?" Harry asked me.

"Just deciding if going to Hogsmeade is worth it in this weather." I said looking at the Great Hall's ceiling, which reflected the sky. It was cloudy and windy.

"At least we get out for a bit. And you need a bit more of the outdoors, you've been cramped up with the books a lot these days."

Apart from clearing the mountain pile of homework, I also wanted to follow Draco around. "I agree. I miss the fresh air."

"Harry, this is for you." Ginny came from nowhere and gave him a scroll.

"Thanks Ginny." He took the scroll from her and asked her, "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with us?"

I looked at him strangely. H looked amused. Even Ginny looked surprised. "I'm going with Dean. I'll see you guys there." She waved and left us.

"It's from Dumbledore." He said excitedly. "I see him on Monday." He looked at me. "What?"

"Why did you ask Ginny if she would come with us?" I asked.

"She is our friend and Ron's sister. I was being courteous."

"Right. Maybe you can invite Dean next time so she'll actually join us."

Ron grunted at Dean's name. Harry went a little red in the face. Why the sudden interest in including Ginny?

For the first time going to Hogsmeade was no fun. It was too cold to stay outdoors. After a couple of butterbeers at Three Broomsticks we decided to head back to school.

Katie Bell and her friend were walking a little ahead of us. In the strong wind, we could hear a few words of their conversation. I heard words like 'who', 'how' and 'package'.

Almost suddenly, Katie rose from the ground. Her friend shrieked in fear. Harry and Ron immediately went to get a hold of Katie. H and I comforted Katie's friend, Leanne.

"What happened here?" H sounded alarmed.

"I don't know. She went to the bathroom and came back with this package and said that she had to take it back to the castle. It was supposed to be a surprise for someone." Leanne sobbed. "Then the package tore and this is what happened."

H put a hand around her and comforted her. Harry and Ron tugged hard at Katie's feet and she fell on top of them. She screamed like a banshee. Harry and Ron kept her down.

"I'll go get help." Harry said and ran back towards the village.

I helped Ron keep Katie down. She kept shouting. Leanne kept sobbing. Neither of us knew what to do. Could we use 'Wingardium Leviosa' on her and take her back to the castle? Surely Madam Pomfrey could fix her up. Few minutes later Harry came back with Hagrid. He took one look at Katie and picked her up and started walking towards the school.

Ron was about to pick up the necklace but Harry stopped him. "Don't touch it. Hold it with the wrappings."

"Okay. Doesn't it look familiar?" Ron asked.

"I saw it in Borgin & Burkes. I bet Malfoy is behind this."

"Not this again." Ron rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure he bought it from Borgin & Burkes and gave it to Katie."

"Harry, how can you be so sure? Did you even see Malfoy in Three Broomsticks?" H asked.

Harry contemplated various theories while we reached the school. Prof. McGonagall stood there waiting for us.

"Hagrid said you saw what happened. Tell me everything in detail. It may help us in healing her." She told us.

Leanne began to tell her everything that happened while she continued to sob. Prof. McGonagall sent her away and turned towards us.

She sighed, "Why is it that the four of you are always around when something happens?"

"Believe me, professor, I've been asking myself the same question for six years." Ron sounded like he was happy that someone else noticed 'our-getting-into-problems-tendency'.

I snorted before I could stop myself. We explained what happened to Prof. McGonagall.

"Professor, I think Malfoy is behind this." Harry told her. He told her about us following Draco to Knockturn Alley in the summer.

"That does not explain anything." She said. "And anyways, it can't be Malfoy. He was not in Hogsmeade today."

"Why not? How do you know?" Harry exasperated.

"Watch your tone, Potter. He is doing detention with me. He failed to submit his last two assignments."

I sighed in relief. Though Harry was stumped, he didn't look convinced. She asked us a few more questions and then dismissed us.

On our way back to the common room, Harry continued with his Draco bashing.

To put an end to it, Ron asked, "Who do you think Katie was going to deliver it to?"

I shook my head. H said, "Only Katie can answer that."

"Maybe Dumbledore. The Death Eaters would like to get rid off him. Or Slughorn, Voldemort's not too happy that he sided with Dumbledore."

"Or you." I said.

"If it was me she would have just given it to me on the street." He dismissed my idea. "I wonder why Malfoy wanted her to give it to someone in the castle? I mean if I wanted to hurt someone, I would do it outside."

"Malfoy wasn't in Hogsmeade!" H screamed in frustration.

"Maybe someone gave to Katie for him. Crabbe or Goyle, maybe?"

"Right. You think those two can do anything right?" I asked.

"Quite frankly, I think it was not a very good plan. The necklace didn't even make it to the castle. It wasn't foolproof. Like it was a half attempt."

Something about him saying 'half-attempt' made me think about Draco. Draco was definitely up to something but what if he's not into it?

"I agree. It was very amateur." H said.

"Since when has Malfoy done anything that's not amateurish?" Harry said.

"That's not true. He's more intelligent than you guys give him credit for."

Harry and Ron looked at me like I was crazy.

"What? All I'm saying is we shouldn't under estimate anyone." I added quickly.


I apologise from the bottom of my heart that it took me so long to post a new chapter! I mentioned earlier my mother is not well. Even after she has come back from the hospital, she is still weak and requires a lot of care and attention, hence, I do not get a lot of time to write.

I have not abandoned the story and nor will I ever do that. Please just be patient with me! I'm sorry to make you wait!

Please read and review! Thanks for reading!

Enjoy! Neepa :-)