Year 6
"DAPHNE!" someone shrieked. Daphne had been dreaming, but the sharp screech of a woman's voice startled her awake. As she tried to climb out of her bed, still half asleep, she got tangled in her sheets and fell out of her bed onto the hardwood floor.
"What the hell..." she groaned in pain as she rubbed her elbow "WHAT!" she replied at the same level as her rude wake-up call.
"Bring down the jar from the cabinet upstairs!" her mother shouted from the bottom of the stairs.
Daphne groaned and covered her eyes, shielding them from the bright morning sun. Why her mother couldn't walk up the 25 steps to get it herself was beyond her, but Daphne sleepily untangled herself from her sheets and rubbed her eyes as she slumped out of her room and towards the china cabinet at the top of the staircase.
Inside the glass-doored, wooden cabinet was a series of smaller wooden boxes, all with locks on them, and in the centre of the bottom shelf was a single grey jar. Daphne opened the one door and pulled out the relic in question, carrying it in one hand as she trudged down the stairs, yawning all the way.
This wasn't the strangest request from her parents this summer. So far, they had asked her to help her father dig a hole in the backyard to bury a bunch of items that he was afraid the Ministry would find in a raid. Then he told her to help him build a stone patio overtop of the freshly-dug lawn. And, of course, despite the labour that Daphne was expected to help with, Astoria was never asked to assist her. Bringing a jar down to her mother was the least strenuous task so far.
"Mother," She called in a monotone voice as she got within a few steps of the bottom of the staircase, her half-open eyes clearly advertising that she been disturbed from her slumber.
"Morning, Daphne," Said a voice beside her that almost made her drop the cold jar. Her eyes flew open and she tried not to fall down the last few steps.
"What are you doing here!?" she breathed, suddenly turning very red when she realized that she was in her pajamas, which consisted of a pair of short-shorts and an old tank top. Her hair was a rats nest, and her face no doubt looked like that of an old woman with no make-up on.
"Draco and I are visiting your father." Said Narcissa, standing behind a smirking Draco. Although his mother sounded evidently worried or in a hurry, Draco locked his eyes with her, and Daphne felt she had to look away or she might faint.
"Oh, well, uh, it's good to see you?" she said very awkwardly, finally relieved to have her feet on the cold, marble floors at the bottom of the grand staircase. Draco chuckled a little as he watched her react to his expression, which made her almost drop the jar again.
"Daphne, be careful!" Medea said, swooping in from out of nowhere and swiping the jar out of her daughter's hands. "I wish you would be more careful with things as precious as this."
"It's a grey jar. What's so special about it?" Daphne asked, rubbing her one eye with the palm of her hand, now pretending that Draco wasn't here. The last thing she wanted was her mother to suspect her crush for their beneficiary's son... former beneficiary.
"First of all, you foolish thing, it's glass." Medea said patronizingly, tapping the container with her long nails "And second of all, it's your grandfather's ashes."
"Ew! We have that in our house!?" Daphne cringed at the thought of her grandfather's ashes sitting right outside her bedroom door.
"What do you think is in that cabinet? Those are boxes filled with the ashes of your father's family." Medea said in a blunt tone. Daphne's eyes went wide; so they had a make-shift graveyard in a cabinet at the top of the stairs?! Outside her bedroom door!?
"Now, will you please go get dressed? I don't think our guests want to see you parading about in that."
"Had I known we had company, I would have changed first," Daphne mumbled, starting towards the stairs. She paused about halfway up and turned, not surprised to see Draco watching her intently as their mother's chatted about some form of gossip. She smiled in a very polite manner, very aware that they were both thinking the same thing; remembering the kiss they shared only 2 months prior. But since then, Daphne had had a change of heart.
She had talked to Tracey about it, who of course was more ecstatic than Daphne was, but they came to a conclusion together; Draco could not use her. Daphne was going to have to flat out refuse to be involved in such a way with him so long as he was dating Pansy. For if she was caught, or if Pansy ever found out, not only would Daphne be shamed and marked for the remainder of her Hogwarts years, but the wrath of Pansy was not something she ever wanted to experience. The girl had been known to pull out the hair of girls that she fought over the summer, and not to mention she wouldn't think twice about cursing Daphne for it. So, until Draco was single again, Daphne decided that there would be no such involvement between them...
She was a little concerned how long this would last. She didn't tell Tracey this, but she knew that if Draco asked her, trying to persuade her choice, she would be at a loss, and no doubt give in.
There was a quick knock at the door while Daphne was pulling her shirt over her head. She froze in place and felt her heart skip a beat as she waited for the caller to introduce themselves.
"Descent yet?" Draco chuckled from the other side of the door. Daphne's eyes went wide as she ran across the room and threw various articles of clothing (mostly underwear and dirty shirts) into her closet.
"Uhh, no! Hold on!" she called nervously as she attempted to kick something under her bed. She caught sight of herself in the mirror as she ran by it and swore out loud; she still looked like hell! She ran over to her dresser, tripping on a pair of shoes on the way, pulling herself up to wash her face in the basin. The water contained some magical formula that her mother brought back from France that would automatically give her that 'fresh, rejuvenated look', which is exactly what she needed right now! She lifted her head from the basin, looking much better now (but wet), and caught a pair of grey eyes.
"You look decent." He smirked at her in the mirror.
"I said I wasn't ready!" she breathed, taking a facecloth and wiping off the remaining water on her face. Thankful that she pulled on clothing first, rather than fixing her face and hair (which she hadn't done yet), she sighed and picked up a brush, taking a seat at her desk. "Why are you here?"
"You already know; my mother has come to see your father." He said absently, leaning on the corner of her four-post bed.
"I knew that, but why are you here... in my room?" Daphne added, turning away after she added the last part, pretending to be fiddling with her hairbrush.
"You think I want to sit through my mother trying to talk business with someone for the 18th time this week?" he grumbled, looking around the room casually. Daphne prayed that she had hidden all her laundry, along with anything else that might give her away... like the letters to Tracey that were sitting on her night table. Daphne's eyes went wide, and she flustered in her mind to try and think of a way to get over there and hide them.
"W-why is your mother doing business?" she asked lightly, standing very slowly, as if not to draw attention to herself.
"I haven't a clue why, but she's trying to regain some sort of honour for our family. She's settling debts and amending feuds, all in an attempt to get some allies." He said in a low voice like he was almost offended by it.
"Why would she need allies?" Daphne asked in the same light, airy tone as she walked very slowly towards her nightstand.
"If I knew that, then perhaps I could help her. But she won't tell me anything," he grumbled, standing up and walking over to her bookshelf, looking at the titles. Daphne took the opportune moment to jump the last few steps and grab the papers. But before she could stash them somewhere, he had turned around again. "I've been busy enough this summer with my own affairs."
"Oh?" she said in a forced tone, trying to appear as casual and normal as possible; she was failing miserably, and she knew it.
"I've got a couple tasks that I've been asked to complete," He said lightly, looking around her room a little again before his eyes fell on her again. "What's on the paper?"
Shit. Daphne thought in defeat. She smiled heartily, trying to appear natural "What, this? Oh, it's nothing special."
"Then why are you trying to hide it from me?" he asked, crossing her room slowly towards her.
"I-I'm not! It's just-" he was now standing on mere feet away from her. Out of desperation, Daphne took the paper and rammed it down into her shirt.
That will stall him!
Draco laughed and looked at her, his smirk making her lose hope of getting out of this interrogation easily. "Do you really think I won't go in there to get it?" he chuckled.
Daphne felt her face go red, and there was no way of hiding it. She didn't dare move, and she just stood there wide-eyed while her brain tried desperately to think of some sort of comeback.
"Not with our parent's downstairs!" she blurted out suddenly. Draco laughed again, clearly amused by her reaction.
Please drop it! Just forget it! Move on! She prayed silently, her eyes staring back into his as she waited for him to do something. The last thing she wanted him to do, however, was reach in her shirt and pull out a letter that not only had Tracey's vivid reaction to Daphne and Draco's little tryst but also plans to bring down Pansy.
"What could be written there that is so bad that you don't want me to see it?" he asked, taking another step closer. He was easily close enough to get the letter if he wanted. He could also kiss her again if he wanted; that thought made Daphne's heart flutter a little with anticipation.
"My OWLs!" she said quickly, at last thinking of an excuse. Draco looked at her oddly for a moment, then cracked a small smile.
"Are they really that bad?" he chuckled.
"Yes! And my parents haven't seen them! I meant to hide them this morning." She said in a much calmer tone, surprising herself at how well she was actually selling this lie.
"And you think I care about your grades?" he smirked a little. "I was just looking for an excuse to get closer to you again." He said, taking another step closer. He was now mere inches away; her heart was racing and her breathing was shallow. She waited with baited breath for him to make whatever move he was planning, praying that she didn't get wound up in it again. But she knew that he had a pull on her like she was tied to him; if he moved closer, she would move closer. Despite everything she swore to do to Tracey, stating that she could fight and win against the temptation, she was losing right now.
"Draco! We're leaving now!" Narcissa Malfoy called from downstairs.
Daphne let out a louder-than-anticipated sigh of relief, looking away from his cold grey eyes and at the floor. Draco took her reaction very harshly and now looked at her with a face that he normally reserved for Granger.
"And what does that mean?" he hissed. Daphne opened her mouth and looked up quickly realizing what she had just done.
"I-I didn't mean it like that-" she breathed.
"Really?" he asked, clearly not convinced. Daphne was briefly reminded of the last time she wounded Draco's pride when they were 11.
"I told you it wasn't a good idea with our parents downstairs." She managed, trying to give him a normal explanation that wouldn't make him angrier.
"Because I'm sure they're the reason." He said before he stepped away from her and stormed out of her room.
Daphne stood there for a moment, completely dumbfounded by what had just happened. Then she ran to catch up to Draco, who ignored her the whole way down the stairs. When they got to the door, Daphne said goodbye to Draco, and he merely gave her a quick sneer before he left her house, leaving a very confused Daphne staring at him as he walked away.
"What did you do to Draco?" her mother asked, looking at her oldest daughter with one eyebrow raised in curiosity.
"I have no idea," She lied. She knew what she had done; she just didn't know why he reacted so fiercely.
"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Medea said lightly, before lowering her tone into a much darker tone of anger "Imagine them asking for our help! Not bloody likely, I told them."
"What!? They asked us for help?" Daphne asked, turning away from watching the remaining free Malfoy's walk away, and looking at her mother.
"Oh yes! I expected this day to come, and luckily I was there when she asked your father." She looked in the direction that they walked away and crinkled her nose a little.
"But mother, they're the reason we are even in a position to help them!" Daphne pointed out, more or less pleading. If Narcissa Malfoy was going around to everyone she knew, asking for money, then there must be something seriously wrong.
"No, Lucius Malfoy is the reason. And he was the reason your father almost got arrested!" she pointed out harshly.
Daphne looked down at that reminder; it was used against her a lot lately, every time she suggested doing something or going somewhere. It was always brought up about their family waking on thin ice when it came to the Ministry and had to stay very 'out-of-sight-out-of-mind' for a while.
"We can't afford being associated with them again, or at least until this whole drama fixes itself." She added before she turned sharply on her heel and returned inside. Daphne stood on the porch a moment longer, then decided that she had other things to worry about, such as packing her trunk. She had only a few days to have all her belongings ready to go before she could retreat from her changed, but still very hostile family.
Her parents weren't as violent or angry as they had been this time last year. That was because they had other worries; being sent to prison, having their house searched, losing status in society. The last thing they were concerned about was their daughter, who had done nothing but walk around town and read all summer. Daphne had indeed retreated into a much simpler way-of-life this past summer, with the hopes that the rest of her family would simply ignore her.
Astoria, on the other hand, continued to live her dream life, taking no notice of the families depleting income. Her main priority for most of the summer was to make sure that everyone knew about how she and Blaise had a rather dramatic break-up right after school ended. As if Daphne wasn't annoyed enough already, she found it even more annoying to hear Blaise referred to as 'Used Goods' because Daphne had dated him first. But after she was over that, Astoria continued to demand new clothes, books, jewelry, and trips to visit her friends. And because she had her parents wrapped around her finger, she always got what she wanted, despite the sacrifice of food or school books it might mean later on.
Astoria never thought of the future; she lived in the present, where she was the center of the universe. Daphne was reasonable and thought of her future a lot lately. How could she marry Draco if his family was ruined? She told herself she didn't care, but she knew it would make a difference. But most of all, when she thought about the future, she thought about living in a house of her own, raising her children, and never having to hear Astoria's constant pining for attention.
When September 1st finally did arrive, Daphne could not have been more thrilled. In the last week, her sister had made more outrageous requests (all-new robes for school plus a new cauldron) that were gently turned down by their parents. But despite how gentle it was, Astoria flew into a fit of rage, smashing several plates in the kitchen before she went up to her room and proceeded to trash her entire room. Daphne only rolled her eyes and went up to her own room, casting a Muffliato on her room, thus shielding her from the rampage next-door.
Daphne had already escaped her parents and her still-sulking sister and was now standing in line to board the train. A large group of very slow moving first years was holding up the line, causing ample frustration for those who had already made the journey a few times.
"Hey, Daphne." Someone replied very dully behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that it was Theodore, looking and sounding more miserable than ever. Daphne felt a pang of sympathy hit her, and she dropped her trunk and pulled him into a hug.
"Oh, Theodore! I'm so sorry I didn't write! But-"
"Your parents would have disowned you if you did?" he finished her sentence. Daphne looked away guiltily; although she swore she would never judge him based on what his father had done, her parents did not think the same way. "Don't worry, Tracey told me. And I more or less expected it from them." He said, stepping back and releasing her from the hug.
Daphne couldn't help but notice a few people from the other houses staring at them, no doubt whispering to each other about how Nott's father was one of the people that attacked Saint Potter and his friends at the ministry. No one ever seemed to care that they were off the school grounds illegally, and may as well have blown the Ministry up with the amount of damage they caused! So what if Voldemort was back? Everyone knew that! Well, everyone from pureblood families knew that; only a fool like the former minister of magic would think otherwise. But none of that really bothered Daphne; she just hated everyone treating people in her house like they were vermin, especially those whose parents were arrested that night.
"How was your summer? Living with your Grandparents ok?" she asked, still looking very sympathetically towards him. He shrugged shortly and ruffled his brown hair as if he remembered something suddenly.
"I felt like I was being raised in a History of Magic textbook! They're so old-fashioned; my grandmother attempted to cut my hair almost weekly!" he sighed and shoved a 3rd-year out of his way as he pulled his trunk up beside hers "But it was alright. I could have been put into some sort of orphanage if it weren't for them; I have no other relatives."
"These are your mother's parents, aren't they?" Daphne asked, her eyebrows furrowed together with slight confusion.
"Did you by chance notice how old my father was before he was arrested?" he asked in a quiet tone, barely above a whisper. "Yes, they were my mother's parents. My father's side has been dead for nearly 20 years."
Daphne nodded her head and turned around to look at the still slow-moving line. "Well, it makes you feel better, I would have given my ability to do magic if I could have seen anyone besides my family all summer." She smiled slightly.
"I thought Draco went to visit you?" Theodore pointed out lightly.
"How did you know about that?" Daphne asked, trying not to sound too surprised. She had tried to pretend that that day had never happened, with the hopes that maybe if she wished it enough, Draco would forget about it.
"He told me. I saw him just the other day. He's got quite the surprise for all of us when we get back to the common room."
"Oh," She replied softly "Well, he was only there for a moment, and I barely spoke to him." She said, waving her hand absently as she tried to change the subject, but found she didn't have much else to talk about.
"How was your summer? I read that your father was released without charges." He asked quietly as they finally climbed aboard the train and started to look for an empty car.
Daphne was hoping he wouldn't bring this up; it was awkward enough being the only Slytherin student who had a parent taken in and released, but it made her feel even more sorry for Theodore. "My summer was dismal, as usual." She sighed, looking into yet another full car. "My sister seems to think that my parents have a vast reserve of gold somewhere, and she keeps convincing them to spend it. Then, when they tell her we can afford it, she throws a temper tantrum that would rival that of a toddler."
"Your family is running out of money?" Theodore asked in a hushed voice, his eyes wide with curiosity and worry. Daphne put her finger to her lip and told him she would tell him when they found a private car.
When they finally did find one, Daphne and Theodore made themselves comfortable on opposite sides of the car, and sat in awkward silence for a few moments. Then, Daphne let out a reluctant sigh and continued on with her story.
"My father has no job right now; no patron to benefit our family. My mother has never worked a day in her life, so she's no help. And my sister spends money like it's going out of style!" Daphne said, staring at the floor, her arms crossed uncomfortably around her. If there was one thing she didn't like about the future, it was how uncertain her finances were. Her family could be broke in a year, or they could be rich all over again if her sister would stop spending their money.
"You know I'll help you, Daphne," Theodore replied in a very smooth and matter-of-factly voice.
Daphne's face shot up in surprise. "What? Help me with what?" she asked quietly, her eyes now wide and locked with his.
"Money. I've got loads now." He said simply. "But only you. I'm not helping out your sister with her self-centered existence, or your parents, who apparently have no idea how to raise a child"
"Theodore, I could never ask you for money..." Daphne said quietly, looking down again.
"I knew you'd say that. But the offer will always stand, just to let you know." He said before he opened his trunk and pulled out some cookies his grandmother had no doubt made for him.
"Why are you offering this to me?" Daphne asked, still staring at the floor. There was silence between them for a few seconds.
"Because you deserve the best," He said simply. Daphne looked up at him again to find him staring right at her. She was about to ask what he meant, but the car's door opened, and in stepped Tracey and Blaise, who were both anxious to ask them about their summers.
That night in the common room, Draco seemed to be in much better spirits than the last time she saw him. He was bragging about how he caught Potter in his train car and kicked the shit out of him before he left him on the train. Crabbe and Goyle found the story particularly amusing, as did Blaise and Tracey, both of whom were upset that they missed it. Daphne, although she found the story to be funny and a fine example of justice finally being done at Hogwarts, said nothing. She still felt very awkward around Draco, not only for the way he stormed out of her house a week ago, but the fact that Pansy was right there, sitting in his lap, and the little voice in the back of her mind kept yelling 'home-wrecker!'
"Show them what else you did this summer," Theodore called casually from his seat beside Daphne. They had pulled all the black leather couches closer together, gathered around the single chair that Draco and Pansy shared. It was like they were flocked around a King and Queen, and they were all little members of their court. Daphne knew what she was in this little court; the mistress. This thought made her shift uncomfortably and look away from Draco as he questioned what Theodore was talking about.
"Oh, this!" he said cheerfully. There was a uniform gasp, of both admiration and surprise from everyone around her, so Daphne finally turned her head back towards and Draco and saw what he had done. He was holding up his left arm sleeve, revealing a very obvious addition to his skin. Daphne felt her blood run cold as she thought of all the possibilities that faced Draco now; imprisonment, murder, summers wearing nothing but long sleeves!
"Draco, are you serious?!" Tracey exclaimed, grabbing his wrist and pulling his arm towards her for a closer inspection. Draco hissed a swear and yanked it out of her grip.
"Ouch! Yes, I'm serious, and don't do that again!" he growled. Tracey exchanged a quick glance with Daphne, who only gave her a look into her worried eyes "What do you think Daphne?" Draco asked, clearly intercepting the silent communication. Everyone waited silently for her to answer, and she was once again left scrambling for an excuse that could save her.
"Your father must be very proud..." She said quietly "But I hope you'll be a little more cautious than he was."
"Cautious?" Draco laughed stiffly "My father was only put in prison because meddlesome Potter had to bring along his little gang of outcasts! He could have easily taken care of him had it only been Scarhead, as it was supposed to be." He pointed out, rolling his sleeve back down over his mark. "Now that I'm one of the Dark Lord's own men, I expect that I'll start getting treated with a little more respect around here." He added.
"I wouldn't suggest you go brandishing it about the Great Hall, Draco." Blaise chuckled as he stood from the couch "I've got some letters to write; I'll see you all later."
"Oh, bloody hell, so do I! I have to tell my Mother she forgot to back my winter jacket!" Tracey said, pounding her fist on the arm of the couch before she ran off up the stairs. After a few minutes longer, once Draco started to go into the details of his swearing to the Dark Lord (Daphne wasn't trying desperately not to listen, and was now reading one of her textbooks), Theodore also excused himself, looking miserable once again. Eventually, Millicent and Pansy went off to get ready for bed, and Crabbe and Goyle returned to the Great Hall for more food. This left Daphne and Draco alone, unbeknownst to her at the time.
"Did you hear what I said earlier about more respect, Daphne?" he asked in a snide tone. Daphne looked up over her book, made brief eye contact, and nodded her head as she returned to pretending to read her book. "That doesn't count as respect, Greengrass."
"Don't call me that." She said in a low voice, not looking up from her book again.
"It's what I ought to call you," Draco said, standing and walking over to her, now standing in her light so she couldn't read. "You are, after all, inferior to me."
Daphne felt her ears getting hot with internal rage that was boiling. Whatever this attitude was that Draco had developed over the summer, she did not like it one bit and was tempted to give a good smack in the head with the book she was reading. "Can you please not stand in my light." She asked through locked teeth.
In one quick motion, the book she was reading was snapped shut in her hand and yanked out of her grip, tossed over onto a nearby chair. Daphne slowly raised her face to see a very infuriated Draco, gritting his teeth so hard that his temple was beginning to pop out. "Who are you to think you're better than me!?" he demanded, his voice very powerful, but not loud enough to attract the attention of their other housemates.
"What are you talking about!" Daphne hissed, furrowing her eyebrows together in confusion.
"You talk to me like you're better than me now! What, because my father got thrown away in prison, now you and your family think it's a good opportunity to move up the social ladder? Well let me tell you, Greengrass; when my father gets out of prison, and we get all our power back, your family is going to be nothing to us."
Daphne stood up sharply, unable to hold in much more of her rage. She balled her fists so tight that she thought she might crack all her knuckles at once. She stared at him in angry disbelief for a moment before she finally managed to open her locked jaw enough to speak. "Are you really that self-centered?" she said, barely above a whisper. "Is that why you think I'm trying not to attract your attention?" she laughed stiffly at this and took a step towards him, sizing him up as she stood on her tip-toes. "Well, let me tell you, Draco Malfoy, that you're not the ONLY person who lost something that night!" she hissed, her face reflecting the sharpness of her voice. "Look around you, Draco! Look at Theodore, who lost his last parent in the same battle, and now lives in the care of his grandparents! Look at Crabbe! His mother had to move to another village to avoid all the shame that his father brought them!" Daphne paused to take a few very deep and angry breaths. "Or better yet, look at me! You think you're the only Slytherin who lost something when your father screwed up!?" she felt herself shaking a little with anger.
Draco kept the same sneer as if he was being spoken to by something insolent, and she wasn't even sure if he was really listening, but she didn't care. "My family is about to lose everything because of your father's imprisonment! Our families reputation is shattered because of your father's imprisonment! And you think that you're THE ONLY PERSON who that night affected?" she paused again, then chuckled lightly to herself. "I haven't been talking to you because I don't want you to think you can use me."
"Why the hell would I use-"
"Shut up!" Daphne snarled. He froze with the same glare at her challenge "I'm telling you once and for all that I'm trying to distance myself not because of your father! If anything, that should bring us closer, not drive us apart. It's because you're trying to make me your courtesan!"
Draco gave her a blank stare now. "A what!?" he asked, shaking his head slightly in irritation.
"Your mistress! Your whore! Harlot! Home-wrecker!" she paused, now shaking almost uncontrollably "Other words that I can't think of right now!" she added angrily. Draco now looked at her with a look that was angry, but now out of confusion. "I won't be played while Pansy reaps all the benefits!" Daphne hissed in a much quieter voice, just in case Pansy happened to frolic back into the room "So you have to make up your mind, and that's that!" she said, now taking a deep breath again.
Now she felt very embarrassed; did she really just let all of that slip out... all in one conversation. Her face was turning red now, no longer from rage. She couldn't control her breathing or her anger, and she looked away from him to hide the humiliation she felt.
"Daphne-" he started in a far less angry tone, but she was afraid to hear what he had to say.
"I have to go unpack my trunk." She interrupted before she backed away from him. She tripped on the chair leg as she grabbed her textbook and ran out of the common room, her face burning like she had just had her head in an oven.
It would have been the same thing; I may as well throw myself into an oven, or from the Astronomy Tower! I'll never be able to look at him again now... Oh God, why did I have to say all of that! And all at once! Did that conversation even make sense!? How did we even get onto that topic!?
Daphne now sat on the edge of her bed, gripping her textbook tightly against her body. She was still breathing like she had just tried to outrun a dragon (and failed miserably!); her skin was still hot like coals.
Stupid. Stupid! STUPID! She shouted in her head, gritting her teeth together.
She heard the click of the door behind her; someone was coming in. Unable to face the questions from her roommates, she threw herself under the covers of her bed, still wearing her uniform and still gripping the book like it was the only thing holding her together. She may have just ruined her only chance and loving Draco, and this haunted her all through the night, well into the morning.