Hello, my fellow readers! I know I posted this second chapter right after the first, but, as much as I don't want to say it, it won't be like this for very long :( I wrote the first and second chapters together and decided to break them up, so that's why you're getting one the day after. However, I'm sorry, but it will take a little bit for me to write the third one. Please don't hate me, I'm doing the best I can and, besides, I have school! Alright, I'm all done blabbering :) Read on, everyone!
Draco stirred in his bed…well, at least he thought it was his own bed.
He opened his eyes, though it was a struggle, and saw that he was in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts.
He was utterly confused, though, for there were at least one more week until school began…unless…
"M- Madam Pomfrey?" Draco asked, surprised to find his voice still so hoarse.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy? Are you alright?" she asked, quite frantically, as though something was wrong, and hurried over to him.
"H- how long have I been here? A- at Hogwarts?" Draco wondered.
Relieved that her patient was alright, Madam Pomfrey said, "About two weeks, dear. Your father, Lucius, brought you over here, obviously before school started, and said you needed to regain your strength after some terrible accident. He said no one could take care of you at home, so we allowed you to stay here. You've been out cold, ever since."
Draco shuddered at the name of his father and his eyes narrowed. A fatal accident, huh? That's his father's excuse? But he was shocked at how long he was unconscious.
"I've m- missed a week of c- classes?" Draco asked.
"Yes," the healing Witch answered. "You gave us quite a scare, Mr. Malfoy. We thought you might have been in a coma, for all we knew."
Draco remembered the horrible suffering he had to endure, due to the Cruciatis Curse that was placed on him…his father should be in Azkaban Prison for what he's done. Not just because he cursed his own son, but also because he's in allegiance with the Dark Lord.
Draco never really wanted to join Voldemort. He always thought of him as a mass- murdering villain. He never understood why his father and aunt, Bellatrix, ever joined him in the first place. Even his mother got caught in the Dark Lord's web of lies, and now must pay the price.
However, it wasn't a choice for poor Draco. He was forced to work for Voldemort by his father, who put these ideas into his head, when he was younger, and even now, that Voldemort was to be served by him and everyone else.
But over time, Draco soon learned that Voldemort was not to be trusted and he shouldn't be with him. His parents, especially Lucius, was deliberately forcing him to do the Dark Wizard's dirty work…and that means killing Dumbledore.
Draco shivered at the thought, and Madam Pomfrey noticed this sudden change.
"Maybe you should rest a bit more, dear," she said, comfortingly.
But something Madam Pomfrey said, before, had confused Draco.
"W- what did you mean b- by we?" he asked.
"Well come on, Mr. Malfoy," she said, matter- of- factly. "I wasn't the only one worrying about you."
Well that's a surprise, Draco thought. He didn't really have a lot of friends at Hogwarts, besides Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise. Well, they were pretty much his henchmen, anyways. The ones that always follow him around and back him up.
"Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle, Professor Snape, and even Professor Dumbledore came and visited you while you were here," Madam Pomfrey said.
"P- Professor Dumbledore?" Draco asked, quite shocked.
"Well, of course Professor Dumbledore!" she said, with a smile.
A chill ran through his whole body. Professor Dumbledore visited him? Another surge of guilt ran through him, for he knew he must murder the man who came and visited him when he was hurt…
Draco closed his eyes for a moment, trying his best to calm down and keep his cool. He couldn't break down. Not now, not ever.
Madam Pomfrey watched the boy closely, with concern, as he struggled with something. Something she wished she knew about so she could help him.
She was, after all, a healing Witch and could only heal physical wounds…but she knew that whatever the boy was dealing with, was far beyond physical. He was dealing with something mental. Something he had to overcome on his own.
Madam Pomfrey has treated so many students and learned so much about them, that she knew when someone was struggling with something.
All she wished she could do was help…but she knew she couldn't heal these wounds.
"Are you alright, Draco?" she asked, worry in her voice.
Calling people by their first name was something she usually never does, but it was the least she could do to try and be more friendly.
Draco was silent for a while, thinking of his situation and trying to calm himself.
Then, he finally said, "I- I would like to be alone r- right now, please."
"Of course," Madam Pomfrey said, with no hesitation. "It's nearing nightfall, anyways, and I should probably turn in soon."
As she headed toward the door out of the Hospital Wing, she added, "Goodnight, Draco. I hope you get better soon," and then left.
The young Malfoy laid there in the soft bed, motionless, for quite a while. He stared up at the ceiling, watching the light fade away and turn into night. He stayed up longer than that, mind you.
Hours went by, and with each second that passed, Draco's fear, vulnerability, and guilt kept rising up and up, to the point where it felt like he was going to explode.
His breathing became much more ragged and deep, and his heart beat faster and faster. He shut his eyes, thinking he could calm down…but to no prevail.
He did everything he could to try and calm himself down, but nothing he did worked. Nothing at all.
It was the room! This room, this atmosphere, the bed he was in was making him feel this way…right?
Draco needed something to blame. He needed to blame something for the way he was feeling…
He couldn't bring himself to blame his emotions and what he was going through. He needed to blame something else, anything else.
He was a Malfoy.
He should never give in to his emotions, his fear, sadness, guilt. He can't, he just can't…
Draco leapt out of bed and sprinted towards the door. Though his body was still weak from the effects of the Cruciatis, he just kept running.
He was quite surprised to find out he was in his Slytherin robes, probably because his father told them to place them on him, for he always wants his family to be known as powerful and professional.
The thought of his father made him run even faster. He ran down corridors, through hallways, past staircases, and even found his way outside in the large courtyard.
He ran, hoping to get away from his thoughts and feelings, his fears and his guilt…about having to kill Dumbledore.
But running only made him feel so much worse. He delved into thoughts about how he was a coward for running away and not dealing with his problems. He felt more hopeless, fearful, and sorrowful than he's ever been before in his life.
He stopped in the courtyard, trying to catch his breath, but the more he thought, the more he panicked. Now, he was hyperventilating and he couldn't control it anymore.
Breath after breath he took. Each one not collecting enough air for his hurting lungs. Tears threatened to form in his eyes, but this time…he let them fall.
Draco fell to the ground, sobbing and hyperventilating into his hands. He clutched his chest Why did he have to be the one to kill Dumbledore? Why is his father jealous of him and would go so far as to kill him? Why was he forced into this life that he so desperately wanted to escape from? Why doesn't he have a choice?
In that moment, Draco knew that no one would help him. No one would come. No one would save him from the dark place he's been thrown in to.
No one cared…
He screamed. He screamed out of fury, sadness, and fear. So much fear…
He heaved, sobbed, and screamed, until he became lightheaded.
His senses started to disappear one- by- one, as he, once again, slipped into unconsciousness.
Poor Draco, huh? I know, I know, I'm so evil hahaha! Okay, I'll try and post the next chapter soon! Oh, and if any of you are confused about anything in the story, please private message me. I don't want anyone being confused, okay? Please review, as well, and tell me how I did! Thanks!