And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC
Chapter 30- Suspicion
Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always."
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I know. I am so sorry. so sorry. Buuuut, like, I graduate uni in a week! So time! Time is useful =]
My bad.
Enjoy the chapter!
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Draco was still sleeping when Avery startled awake the next morning, one leg freed from the invisibility cloak and dangling to the floor. He slept rigidly, pain apparent in all of his limbs. Acutely aware of the morning light through the windows she reluctantly left the sleeping Slytherin to his rest with one last gentle touch to his pale hand. The hospital wing was deserted, though Avery had been woken at least two times in the night as a nurse checked Draco's condition. She'd seemed satisfied each time.
Silently, she eased the door open and stepped into the hall, only to stop short at the sight of Professor Dumbledore, leaning gracefully, especially for a man of his years against the opposite wall, staring straight at her. Avery sighed, even with the invisibility cloak the headmaster would have seen the movement of the door and she knew from experience that the Professor seemed to just know everything, including when she and her friends were hiding in a certain half giants hut in third year.
"Ah, Miss Greenwood." Dumbledore spoke, the ever present twinkle in his eye, "You may remove the cloak."
Avery cringed and did as she was instructed, smiling sheepishly. "Professor." she mumbled.
"Have you been here long Miss Greenwood?"
"No!" she replied a little too quickly and loudly for it to be anything but a lie. The mischievous quirk to Dumbledores lips told her that he knew anyway.
She ignored the blush obviously staining her cheeks.
"Visiting anyone in particular?"
Avery hesitated, knowing it was pointless to lie but doing so anyway, "...no"
"I heard that young Mr Malfoy was administered here last night, I was on my way to visit him just now. I didn't see you at breakfast." Dumbledore chuckled.
"He was? Oh. Well." Avery stammered. "That's not good. I wasn't hungry." And of course her stomach chose that exact moment to rumble in disagreement. She sighed. "I should go."
"That would be wise. See you around Miss Greenwood."
"Yessir!" she replied quickly as she moved past him, clutching the invisibility cloak between her palms. She hadn't intended to stay the night and she especially hadn't intended to be caught leaving. She could only imagine what her friends had thought when she hadn't returned to the Gryffindor common room. She had all of about five minutes to come up with an excuse. She was proficient at lying at this point.
"Oh and Miss Greenwood?" Dumbledore called from behind her.
"Yes sir?" she asked as she turned around.
"I approve." the professor smiled joyfully. "Of the step forward you have taken. It is nice to see some... house integration."
Avery smiled, reading between the lines as you only could if you had been in Dumbledore's good books for years. "Thank you sir."
-...-
The Great hall was practically deserted when she arrived, bar a few stragglers. Breakfast was almost over and the majority of the tables were empty. The Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables were completely voice of students, both early risers and early to class. A few Hufflepuffs remained on their perches, some sat half asleep, others shoveling food into their mouths and pouring over text books, they must have a quiz of some kind Avery thought absently.
The busiest table by far was that of Gryffindor. The house was not notorious for its timing in anything, often late to class or with assignments, it seemed to be a trait shared by most members of the house. An early breakfast meant you were late to first class, a quick breakfast always lasted the full hour. Avery was relieved to see however that none of her friends were present, a few fifth years who gaped at her as she passed, as was the norm since news of the events at the ministry last year broke. A group of first years, a few third.
She found an empty spot away from the groups and helped herself to some toast.
As she buttered it she noticed a shadow fall across her seat and held back a gasp when Hermione's distinct voice asked, "Where were you last night?"
Avery closed her eyes and sighed, lowering her toast back to the plate.
"Hermione -" she started only to be interrupted .
"-And I want the truth Ave." Hermione flopped down onto the bench beside her, staring intently at the side of her face. "I was worried sick when you didn't come back to the dorm, you just took Harry's cloak and left without a word."
"I'm sorry 'Mione" Avery said, "I fell asleep in the Astronomy tower."
"Why did you have to go there so abruptly? Harry was talking about Malfoy and you just jumped up." Oh Merlin, Oh Merlin, Oh Merlin.
"Well - I remembered that Malfoy had said something to try and upset me last time I was heading up there" she thought quickly, "I left my Herbology work up there. I'm partners with Malfoy you see, it just clicked."
"Oh." Hermione responded, not sounding as convinced as Avery would have liked. "Well- Did you get it?"
"Get what?"
Hermione frowned, "The Herbology work."
"No. Gone. Someone probably binned it or something." Avery smiled nervously.
"Right." Hermione sounded even less convinced than moments before.
"I'll have to redo it."
"Yes, you will I suppose. Finish your breakfast. I'll see you later." Avery had no time to respond before Hermione turned on her heel and left the hall. Avery gulped,
suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. She could practically taste the suspicion and determination pouring from Hermione's person. Her friend did not believe her lies at all.
Avery winced as she bit into her now cold toast. What in Merlin's name had she gotten herself into? What was she doing? She hated lying to her friends, she truly did. Harry, Ron and Hermione had been the first people other than Matilda that had truly accepted her and loved her for herself and lying- well lying was something Avery abhorred having been lied to her whole life by someone or another. And yet here she was sixth year and it seemed all she was doing was lying to the people she loved.
Draco's face swam into her mind and she sighed, Draco was different, sometimes he was wonderful but was he worth the possibility of losing her friends? Her housemates?
He was up to something, Merlin she knew that! She knew and yet still she snuck away to meet him. It would be easier if she could simply call it a misguided infatuation, she wanted to call it that but she knew she couldn't. Last night had been evidence of that. She would probably have visited Draco, she reasoned, eventually, if he were indeed just an infatuation, however the unadulterated panic she had felt at the news of his hospitalization told her everything she did not want to know. She might as well have told her friends there and then for how subtle she had been.
She dropped her toast again, appetite lost, she knew what she had to do.
This thing with Draco, whatever it was, whatever it could become, had to end.
-...-
Avery walked in a daze towards Herbology, barely even noticing Neville as he bid her good morning. She sat on her seat in silence, attempting to fight the hurt she was feeling. She physically hurt to think that she was going to end it with Draco. It wasn't her place to feel hurt she knew that, but the thought of nipping it in the bud before it had truly blossomed hurt. Dammit Draco! She sighed in frustration, attracting glances from Amanda and Lexi opposite, the latter of whom still hadn't quite gotten over the embarrassment of the mistletoe fiasco and could rarely meet Avery or Draco's eyes.
Avery ignored their looks and sighed, after all coming straight from the hospital wing to breakfast meant she hadn't gone to her dorm and had no supplies or books with her. Only her wand stashed into her robes.
"Red." she heard from beside her as the seat next to her was occupied.
"Draco?" She hissed loudly, "What in Merlin's name are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!"
"Hush Greenwood." He replied in much the same manner, "Every student in Hogwarts will hear you."
Avery tore her eyes from the blonde to see that the Hufflepuffs opposite as well as a few others in the immediate vicinity were now watching them unabashedly.
She lowered her voice to a murmur, "Should you be out of the hospital wing?" she ran her eyes over him in a swift motion, taking in the details. His hair slightly out of place, skin more pallid than usual though a marked improvement from last night, dark shadows under his eyes "You don't look so good."
"I'm fine Red," he replied, "Pomfrey healed me."
"That doesn't answer my question." Avery snapped.
"She said I was able to leave, though she wanted me to remain in the hospital wing I didn't have to if I didn't want to." he answered, "Evidently I didn't."
"You're a bloody idiot!" Avery sighed. Her internal relief that she would not have to face Draco today shattered. Now was as good a time as any "Draco-" she began. And what she had intended to say was - I need to speak to you in private.
"Thank you" she heard instead.
She looked to him wide eyed, "What?"
"For coming last night. I was glad to have you there, the pain went away a little with you there." He smiled again, small but real. She looked at him, truly looked at him and knew immediately that she couldn't give up whatever this was.
Call her selfish and stupid, she most certainly was and would be the last to deny it.
She hated lying yes, but she also hated the thought of this going away.
She took his hand under the table and squeezed.
...
Short and late I know, Hope you enjoyed anyways!
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Thanks for reading! More up soon!
