I was sure to avoid so much as looking at Draco as Mr. Grayson drove us back to Amherst after Thanksgiving break. The way Draco spoke hadn't changed; in fact, he sounded charming. It amazed me that he was, in fact, the complete opposite of what Mr. Grayson thought, yet had no idea. One morning during art history, I looked across the room while waiting for Professor Rigs to start the lecture, and my eyes landed precisely on Draco's, who was watching me already. I quickly averted my gaze, hoping he didn't know that I knew he was up to something. Though I didn't know what he was up to, I knew it wasn't good. I felt a sense of paranoia when I wondered if perhaps Draco was able to read my thoughts, so I changed my train of thoughts and started to wonder what I was going to eat for lunch. The weeks carried on and luckily, I did not run into Draco again at the dining halls. I finished up with final examinations by the Friday before dorms closed, and unfortunately had to be taken back to the Graysons along with Draco, who happened to finish his exams the same day. It was sunset when Mr. Grayson got on the road, Mrs. Grayson asking if either of us would be staying over the break. Draco said he'd had a flight home for Monday, and I had planned on apparating home, but of course that's not what I told the Graysons; I simply told them I too had a flight but that it was leaving on Sunday.
"I was sort of hoping you two would've wanted to stay for Christmas," said Mrs. Grayson a bit disappointedly, "Ted and I always go over to his family's for dinner. It's quite nice. I'm sure everyone would've been excited to meet you."
"Maybe next year," I said politely.
"Dustin," Mrs. Grayson said.
"Yes," Draco answered immediately. I know I would've forgotten I was going by some other name, and failed to have answered when addressed.
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you, but kept forgetting."
"Yes, what is it?" Draco asked.
"Well, a few weeks ago, a young man came by our house, looking for someone. He said he was looking for someone named Draco, and that he was an exchange student we were hosting. I was confused, because I know that's not your name…"
I glanced slowly at Draco sitting on the other side of the car. He slowly began to pull something out of his pocket.
"And he kept insisting that your name was Draco. He even gave your description to a T. And when I asked if he meant Dustin, he walked off in a hurry."
"That's strange," Draco said, as if he had no idea what Mrs. Grayson was talking about.
When I realized that Draco was holding his wand, my heart started racing. He pointed it at Mrs. Grayson's back. She couldn't even see what he was doing.
"Honey, you never told me this…Dustin," said Mr. Grayson, turning slightly to try and look at Draco at the same time that he was looking at the road. I began to unzip my coat and barely felt my wand before Draco pointed his at me and I was stunned still. The next thing I knew there was something flying towards the windshield and I heard the glass shattering as the Grayson's screamed and tires screeched. I swear the car must have flipped over, but not before I managed to go flying through the broken windshield, having forgotten as I often did, to buckle my damned seatbelt. My back hit the pavement and all went black…
I don't know how long I was out for or where exactly I was. It just felt cold, cold like I'd never felt before. Was I alive? I couldn't tell up from down; I wasn't even sure that I was still breathing. I was in pain.
"You bloody imbecile!" Draco spat at someone.
"I'm sorry! It just came out. I couldn't remember—"
The man speaking yelped in pain and I assumed Draco had hit him. I heard frantic walking about.
"You couldn't have just erased her bloody memory?!" Draco asked.
"Well, is she dead?" asked an angry sounding female.
"They're both dead, thanks to you," Draco said in an agitated way. "How am I going to explain this?"
"Erase them, that's all," said the woman. Draco sighed.
"Make sure she's dead, too…isn't it…Angelina Johnson?" asked a voice, which I could tell was rather close. My eyes were closed, and I dared not open them. I held my breath.
"Strange coincidence, yeah? I remember her."
I felt a foot push me slightly. I stayed still.
"Well, you were taking too long, we got tired of waiting," the woman said.
"What do you mean I was taking too long? Did you expect teams of new followers in less than a year? This isn't just some sloppy job you can do in a matter of weeks, Pansy," Draco spat.
"Thanks a lot, you two, for killing my host family. Get out of here before a car comes round. Let me clean this mess up and I'll meet you back home."
"Don't be too long," Pansy Parkinson warned. I heard some strange noises, something taking off into flight. I opened my eyes just a bit to see black figures ascending into the night sky. They were Death Eaters alright.
"Incendio," Draco said, and I could see a fire from the corner of my eyes. I heard something scraping along the concrete. I glanced through my slightly open eyes to see what appeared to be the bumper of the Grayson's car, dragging along before it floated away towards their car, which Draco had set on fire. I heard glass and all sorts of broken parts moving across the pavement, and I tried carefully and with what felt like a broken arm, to grab my wand out of my coat. And then I started to drag across the ground. I heard footsteps and Draco was getting closer. I stopped dragging along and I could barely make out his figure above me. Immediately, I stopped trying to lift my arm and closed my eyes. Draco sighed, kneeling down near me. He was silent for at least a full minute.
"You should've stayed in the car with them," he said, although it wasn't like he was talking to me. I don't think he knew I was still alive. I felt something cold on my face, prying my eye open and flinched. Draco's hand felt like ice! He gasped, realizing that I was alive. I started screaming, wishing somebody, somewhere would have heard me and come to my rescue, but the road was just about deserted. Believing I was about to suffer a horrible death, I began to cry. I was screaming and crying all at once. Draco stood up and pointed his wand at me. I tried in vain to move. My bones must have been broken. My vision blurred and I felt very sleepy and calm, and I was gone.