This is dedicated to my wonderful reviewers, I do this for you!
Sorry I haven't updated fast but the usual excuses … busy etc but here we go anyway!
The usual disclaimer applies as do the usual warnings!
Please remember – Reviews make me smile! The more I get the quicker the updates!
Chapter 15.
"What do you mean he said he only did it to shut me up? He only did it because he had to? Well let me just tell you that is complete and utter bullshit, I mean it Ginny, get that twerp back in here right now," I couldn't believe what she had just told me.
Harry Potter, Saint Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, the boy who just wouldn't bloody die, the boy who was going to get castrated with the rustiest spoon on earth if he didn't get his adorable arse back in here to explain.
"Maybe he was joking," Ginny exclaimed, I was sure she was trying to help.
I gave her such a look that shut her up in an instant, I sighed deeply, inside I was seething still however I knew it would pass, probably, hopefully, in theory.
"He hates me," I said.
"He doesn't hate you," she argued, but I barley heard her. By this point the argument had me sitting up in bed, the sheets pooling around my waist and my fists were clenched down by my sides, I glared at the girl sitting next to me, and she glared straight back, "Don't be ridiculous Draco, you don't just maybe think that maybe he got a bit scared?"
I stared at her in shock, "What?"
"Maybe, it just sacred him? You know?"
*Page break*
I stared at the ceiling long before I heard his footsteps on the stone floor, I lay still, silent in my bed, hoping, praying, for who I was unsure. Maybe deep down I was hoping that it would be him, but I knew I was also dreading the thought of seeing him.
The footsteps were slow and calculated, getting steadily softer as they reached the edge of my curtain; they hesitated just for a moment before walking in.
Harry stood at the bottom of my bed, he stood still waiting, I sat up slowly, my back sore and aching.
"Don't strain yourself," he took a step forward but paused when I laughed.
"Me? Strain myself? What about you, straining yourself being nice," I snapped. Surprisingly he didn't turn away, and even more surprisingly still he did not get anger either.
"I won't say I'm sorry," his voice was cold.
"I'm hardly surprised," I looked away, my back was screaming in pain, but I would not give in.
"Why are you being like this?" he asked softly.
"Why did you leave and then lie to everyone? Or tell them the truth that really bloody hurt? Why?" I would not cry.
He said nothing, cast his eyes down and sighed, I don't know if that softened or angered me. He suddenly looked small and innocent, my gaze softened, and the silence grew around us.
"I don't want to hurt you," he whispered.
"When someone says that, it generally means there going to," I snapped, the anger and frustration regrew like a dragon in the pit of my stomach, it screamed and begged to crawl out, just crawl up my throat to be unleashed into the world, to be heard.
"Don't be a twat, I saved you remember? You owe me!" The green eyed boy suddenly shouted, and I felt the rage grow.
"Oh how heroic, I saved you but now you have to pay me back? What the fuck?" He stepped forward and raised a fist, I shrank back in my bed but the hit did not come, we both breathed heavily until he took another step forward, and another, and so on until he was leaning over my bed, I leant forward, arching my back as he lent down to brush his lips to mine, his arms found themselves around my waist and I brought mine up slowly to brush his neck, keeping the touches feather light and soft, not wanting to scare.
After a few moments we broke apart, I looked deep into his eyes and I was surprised by what I found, he must have been surprised also because the next thing I knew, he turned and fled, again.
"Potter you get back here" I screamed at nothing.
*Page break*
"Okay Mr Malfoy, you can go now, but remember, no excessive exercise, and don't excite yourself, you are still healing, remember that you are excused from classes today but tomorrow will work as normal, you will come back to me on Thursday so I can check you over, and in the meantime if you feel discussing who did this to you, I will be here," I listened quietly, a stamped of wild horses couldn't make me tell her what had caused my injuries.
I stood outside the matrons office as she dismissed me, she stopped talking, maybe hoping on some level I would tell, but my mouth was sealed, she sighed, "You can go," I turned and left, I walked slowly, my mind not with my body at that point in time. I thought about the last few days, Harry had come back every night, Harry, when had that changed? When had I allowed him to come in and change everything, change how I thought, how I lived, how I breathed?
With something as simple as a kiss he had come in and torn my world down around me, leaving me standing alone, in the unknown.
What could I possibly feel?
I was doing fine, fine! And then how could he come in and ruin everything? Everything? And then it hit me, I had nothing.
Seamus was right.
The realisation hit me, stopping me in my tracks, I clutched my chest at the painful thought, my knees buckled and gave way, I sank gracefully to the floor.
I gasped silently, he was right, I had nothing, tears silently burst from my eyes, making a uneven path down my cheeks, descending towards my lips, I tasted the salt but I took no notice.
Nothing.
I closed my eyes as the pain in my chest grew tighter.
A hand brushed against my chin, collecting my tears, I opened my eyes.
"Why are you crying?" his deep voice asked, concern lacing through his deep tone.
I looked at him for a long moment, nothing, it still managed to surprise me how many emotions could flicker through those emerald eyes at one time, emotions were still somewhat a foreign concept to me and it amazed me to see in him what I could not feel in myself, "Because I just realised what I am," my voice trembled, his hand left my cheek. He just crouched in front of me, sadness now shining in those bright eyes, it was almost mocking.
"What? Smart? Sarcastic? Witty? Funny? Stupid? Beautiful? What then? Which one?" he spoke quietly, yet a certain edge to his voice, daring me to cross him.
"You think I'm Beautiful?" it was sheer disbelief that I managed to say that.
"I shouldn't have said that, I should go, forget about this, us, whatever that was, it would do neither of us any good, being together."
And in one swoop my still beating heart broke out of my chest and tried to chase him up the hall way, begging him to stop.
"Stop," I shouted at him, I stood from the floor quickly as he paused at the end of the hall way and looked back, we stared at each other for a few moments before I could take it no longer, I ran the length of the corridor to get to where he stood, my arms flew around his neck and his gathered at my waist, "I love you," I smiled, and he smiled back, his grin would have made the sun jealous, and it was just for me.
"I love you to," he whisper as he clung even more tightly, and then … then.
I imagined many things as his footsteps walked away from me down the hall way, ones where I spoke out, ones where he did, but silence consumed us, I sat on the floor and watched him walk out of my life, doing nothing to stop it.
*Page break*
I knew in the end I would fight for him, kill for him and probably die for him, but I didn't care because he saved me from my worst possible enemy…myself.
*Page break*
"Potter," he turned his head in my direction but left his body, he looked away once he knew it was me, I ran to where he was leaning against the stone wall, his arms crossed protectively against his chest and his eyes cold, for a silly moment I supposed he looks like I use to. He looked at me with dark emerald eyes, showing the unpleasantness it was to have me around his presence. However I knew if I did not do this now I would never work up the courage to do it again, no matter how near death I had become I was still a coward inside.
"What is it Ferret?" he snapped at me but I could hear the tender undertone, the caring worriedness that carried below his words, his voice was cold but his eyes warmed, glancing over me, seeing the scars and battle marks which he knew he couldn't save me from, he may have been the hero but I knew what he thought, he may have given me more breath to breath and more life to lead but he couldn't take away the marks that now branded my skin, even though he did save me he couldn't and never can really save me, and he knew this.
"Thank you," I said it softly, surprising myself with the suddenness of it. His eyes widened just a little, the only sign that he had actually heard what I had said.
I didn't wait for a reply, I turned on my heal and walked in the other direction and he did not stop me.
Review please!