Chapter 14: Thirteen
"This is unbelievable" you said disappointed.
"They keep spreading lies after lies" you expressed your dismay.
"It's the ministry, they're scared." Harry said and his tone seemed like he was already accepting his fate.
"I'm craving for some sweets though" you randomly said.
Hermione looked at you like you were a test subject and she was waiting for some results.
"Is something wrong?" You asked Hermione.
"Nothing" she said and suddenly smiled.
"Have you told Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Told him what?" You asked nervously.
"The Gold strings silly"
"The what?" Harry and Ron both asked at the same time.
"If you haven't realized, there are times where we can see a gold string around Harry and (y/n)" Hermione giggled excitedly.
"Ginny said it might be connected to the old soulmate fable or sort" she said.
You and Harry felt embarrassed.
"We can try it if it works" Harry said smiling.
"That's probably a trick" Ron said.
"Well the only thing resembling the string is the unbreakable vow, and both of them never did anything like that" Hermione said raising an eyebrow at Ron.
"And they need a third person to do the trick..." Ron said realizing it.
"-besides, it's unlikely and very unnecessary for Harry to do that" Hermione said ending the discussion and shifting her attention to you and Harry.
Both of you were facing each other, both hands positioned to touch. Both of you looking at each other passionately.
Hermione and Ron paying close attention to the both of you.
"I see nothing" Ron said.
"Shh !" Hermione said annoyed and there was complete silence, anticipating
"Anything from the trolley!" The woman shouted and it startled everyone. Breaking the focus with you and Harry.
"Oh wait, I want some" you said standing up and getting some money in your bag and Harry trailing from behind you. He just stood by the door and rested his arm on the door frame just a few inches above your head.
"2 pumpkin pasties please" Cho said and she smiled at you. Harry thought he was having déjà vu.
"pumpkin pasties again?" you asked in a joking way, Cho laughed as well with a shrug on her shoulders.
"See you later" she said to you as she walked back to their area.
"I'll have the same and some chocolate frogs too... and maybe some of those too" you said pointing at some random candies. When you were reaching for the pumpkin pasties, Draco got a hold of it, earning a surprised look from you and Harry.
"Hey !" You shouted holding the pasties tightly and Harry grabbing your other arm trying to pull you closer to him in a defensive way. Cho looked back and clearly saw everything. That's when it felt like the time went slow and the golden string appeared but more of a presence of a spark--slightly bursting. Nobody got hurt but this time there were more witnesses. All of them know it was unusual. After the light burst,
"Get away" Harry said letting go of Draco's arm and you did the same with the food.
"Not here for you" Draco said with a smirk.
"I'm just passing through and thanks for the treat" he said winking at you and walking away.
You took your remaining goods and sat back down.
Hermione was dying to ask, yet even if she does... all of you didn't have any answers to whatever happened. Although one thing is for sure, everyone around you saw that the string appeared not just to you and Harry only, nor to you and Draco alone but it appeared between the three of you.
----
Upon arriving, all of you needed to walk for a bit in order to reach the carriages like usual. Cho checked up on you and stole you away from Harry for a bit. Both of you needed to catch up with each other and Harry had no problem with that. You were walking ahead of the trio so you didn't notice that Draco was tormenting Harry, again.
"I'm surprised the Ministry's letting you walk around free. Better enjoy it while you can. I expect there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it." He snickered but Harry wasn't taking any more shit from him.
"Just stay away from me!" Harry shouted and Ron was still holding off his arms, restraining him.
"It's only Malfoy, what'd you expect?" Ron tried to talk Harry in to softening up a bit.
Harry broke free of Ron's hold and he was clearly pissed off.
"There's a lot of crap with that prick" Harry didn't hesitate to try to throw a punch at him but Ron stopped him from doing so. Draco got a bit scared but the just brushed it off. "What'd I tell you? Complete nutter" he huffed before walking away and spotting you walking with Cho Chang.
He kept his distance behind you and Cho, carefully eavesdropping to your conversation.
"More and more people are observing it... I think?" You told Cho.
"But I don't think it's anything special" you said half lying.
"Are you joking?" Cho asked.
"I have no idea what's happening, I tell you." you said with a light laugh.
"How about you and Draco, what's going on?" she asked.
"Honestly, I think there's something wrong with me." you answered.
"What do you mean?" Cho asked but before you could answer, Draco held your arm. He dragged you with him but you resisted.
Draco sighed and carried you. It happened so fast that both you and Cho didn't have the time to react.
You were forced to sit with Draco and his friends, leaving Cho with some of your ravenclaw friends.
The carriage started to move and he finally let go of you. You looked at him angrily.
"What?" he said with a laugh.
"Soften up honey" he followed up still smiling widely.
You shrugged your shoulders and noticed that Crab and Goyle was staring at you unnaturally.
"What the bloody hell are you two staring at?" Draco said snapping his fingers and it seemed like the two of them woke up or something.
Draco put his hand around your shoulders as you looked behind and saw the other carriage was Cho and the others. But she seemed busy as she was looking behind too.
----
Harry stared at the carriage moving from a far and caught a glimpse of Cho who was also looking back at him. He then turned his gaze back to Ron and Hermione but was distracted at the big creature attached to the carriage.
"What is that?" Harry asked.
"What?" Ron replied clueless.
"...that-that thing?"
Ron shook his head no and looked at Hermione.
"Harry there's nothing there"
"Yes there is!" Harry insisted.
Ron shook his head once again, indicating that he doesn't see whatever it was. Hermione tried to convince Harry that it was just the usual magic that the carriage had, it was always pulling itself.
"You're not going mad..." A soft voice was heard and the three of them walked nearer.
"I can see them too, you're just as sane as I am" Luna said putting her quibbler down to look at the trio.
Everybody hopped in and Hermione awkwardly introduced Luna to them.
Upon arriving, everybody was gathering at the great hall as usual. You thought about waiting for Harry but Draco kept bugging you.
"So, nothing serious eh?" he asked and you were confused.
"The string stuff" he said elaborating it for a bit.
"Were you listening to our conversation?" you asked in annoyance.
"I can't help it, I did waited for school year to start just to see you." he said pinching your cheeks.
"What is wrong with you?" you said angrily.
"Come on now, why are you so tough?" he said in a joking way.
"After all the things I did to you?" you asked.
"why not?" he replied still taking things as a joke.
"Just stop Draco! I told you so many times..." you said not noticing that you were a bit shouty.
"Hey, chill--" he said but you cut him off.
"Stay away from me!" you shouted at him and you realized that other students were starring at you.
You ran towards the great hall and sat by the ravenclaw table.
Draco however was hurt, and this time it really blew him off. His face showed embarrassment and pain. He tightened up his necktie and went to the slytherin table and sat next to his friends.
Cho witnessed everything and she comforted you immediately. Cho looked by the entrance and met Harry's gaze as he was also on his way to his respective table. Both of them nodded, you didn't see this but Hermione got her eyes set on everyone. She was not only observing you and Harry, but she somewhat felt like she should keep her eyes on Cho too.
"Everything and everyone is so suspicious" Hermione whispered to herself followed by a sigh.
The dinner went through as per usual, except when the pink devil interrupted Dumbledore's speech. She was your new defense against the dark arts professor. Without any doubt, all of you knew she was gonna be a drag and annoying as hell.
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"I ran away from home." you said to Cho and she was shocked.
"But why?" she asked.
"A lot of things happened, and I can't tell you yet... I'm sorry" you said honestly.
"Even Draco spilled the beans to Harry. He told him upfront about what we've been doing behind his back" you said.
"Are you okay now though?" she asked.
"Yes... but it was painful." you replied.
Cho hugged you dearly and both of you continued to tell stories without noticing how late it was.
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
You noticed that Harry grew distant during the first 2 weeks. Even if you wanted to help him, he took this negatively. Even Ron and Hermione were being shut out, which sparked concern to everyone who deeply cares about him.
During a class with professor Umbridge, she had some debate over you-know-who with Harry.
Everybody had their own stand about this topic but Dolores seems to be very blind. You tried defending Harry but the only one who was given detention was him alone. The pink devil never punished you even if your words were identical with Harry.
You waited just outside Umbridge's office in hopes to be able to cheer your boyfriend. It went on for hours, but you never cared how long it took. All you wanted to do is welcome him in your arms and make him feel safe even just for a bit.
The doors finally opened and he went down to greet you with a silent smile. Both of you walked away and when you looked back, Dolores was watching the two of you as if she was observing if Harry was gonna spill some beans.
"She's completely unfair" you said as soon as you were in a safe distance away from her office.
"Don't bother" he replied coldly.
"But I'm really sorry..." you said genuinely sad.
"What is this?" You said holding his hand not giving him the time to hide it.
"Nothing" he replied.
"That's not nothing, it's still fresh... it's bleeding." You said as your eyes never lied to show pain.
"Just drop it, will you?" He said sternly and pulling his hand away from you.
"You don't have to be mean about it..." you said as his actions were confusing you.
"Don't stick your nose into somebody else's business, okay?" He said with a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"I'm sorry, I just thought I could at least cheer you up..." you paused looking down on the floor trying to convince yourself that you shouldn't cry.
"I just told you not to bother! What part of my words don't you understand!?" He said raising his tone in complete annoyance.
"I'm sorry..." you said almost whispering.
"Pathetic" he said as he walked away from you.
Thankfully there weren't any students around the area... This was the first time he was this mean to you. You didn't know why, he wasn't telling anyone anything. Even to his best friends, they were just as clueless as you.
You bowed your head down, and started crying. You didn't know what to do anymore. You were still in trouble since you ran away from home, and you were still doing your best to make it up to him for all the cheating you did behind his back. You wanted to be there for him, not just for the title of being a girlfriend but an actual person whom he can rely on. But what he's been showing you, was never clear. It made your head think about different possibilities, endless actually.
Of course behind a certain wall is a tall blonde man, watching you from afar. Hating the fact that whatever you did to drive him away, just made him want to be with you even more. He closed his fists, trying to restrain himself from going towards you and giving you an embrace. He remembers your exact words ringing inside his head... "Just stay away from me!" How could he forget? You matter to him, and seeing how annoyed you were broke his heart into pieces. He wanted to help you, and treat you right. Sure, he was just in it for the pleasure but he never denied that what he felt for you was real. He accepted that a relationship with you was nothing but a fantasy. His fantasy that he dearly wished to be a reality.
He walked away after a last glimpse of you standing alone and crying. He let you be this time, he didn't want to bother you...
"Why didn't you comfort her like usual?" Pansy's voice echoed through the halls as soon as Draco walked past her.
"You're following me now?" He asked while he stopped on his tracks and turned to look at Pansy.
"All these years of chasing you Draco, I know you love her." She said sincerely.
"I've accepted that it wasn't me that you wanted" she continued.
"I don't know what to say..." he replied.
"You don't have to, but why didn't you go to her?" She asked.
"I can't... She chose Potter" he replied in a sad-airy voice.
"That didn't stop you before" she said trying to make a point.
"Isn't this uncomfortable to you?" He asked confused as the two of them walked back to the Slytherin common room.
"I'm over that... I learned to channel my feelings into something else." She replied.
"Like what?"
"Just focusing on whatever makes you happy"
"Isn't that the same thing?" He asked.
"This time I'm doing it for myself, not for you" she replied as their conversation went on and on until they parted ways to their dorm rooms.
----
You went inside your dorm room and noticed Cho wasn't there yet.
So you decided to do some homework for a bit until dinner starts...
You finally, put your stuff back in your bag and proceeded to have dinner at the great hall. You saw Draco on the way there but you could only force a small smile for him and never giving him the chance to talk to you. Hermione saw you enter the great hall and she made sure to give you a wave.
"Her eyes are red" she said with a hint of concern.
"She probably cried..." Ginny replied.
"Or studying" Ron tried to clear up some serious air but it just made things awkward so he just shut his mouth and patiently waited for dinner to start.
You sat down at your usual spot and it seemed like everybody else was muted. Time went on without you noticing it. Even if there was food in front of you, you weren't eating. Just staring at thin air, remembering Harry's words.
"Oh there's Cho" Luna said happily and which snapped you off from your dazing.
You looked to where Cho was walking, and she gave you a big smile. Your eyes averted to a figure behind her, it was Harry. He took one look at you but didn't bother to say hi.
"Are you alright ?" Cho asked as soon as you she was close enough.
"yeah..." you answered.
"You with Harry?" you asked while checking on him on the other table.
"Nope, just ran into him on the way here" she replied.
She then sat down and munched down on the food.
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"Are you sure you're alright (y/n)?" Cho asked while you were fixing your bed sheets.
"never better" you answered which Cho just took it lightly and proceeded to go to sleep.
You couldn't sleep even though there was nothing inside your head. You keep turning to whatever possible side in your bed, still... nothing. You thought about wandering around the castle, so you did. You got out of bed, went straight outside. You did your best to avoid the prefects, enjoying your precious time to trick some of them.
"Enjoying ourselves are we?" you heard a voice from behind you.
"Draco?" you were caught off guard and he just chuckled.
"Don't worry I'm the only one on this floor." He said with a shy smile.
"You don't have to cover for me..." you said looking down on the floor.
"Hey! She's here, somebody's here!" He said shouting and your eyes went wide.
He then laughed and you were confused.
"Are you making fun of me?" you asked.
"No, I'm just trying to make you smile... But I'm the only one smiling, I supposed?" he asked.
"Is this an attempt to regain something or what?" you asked in a joking way.
"Would you like to ?" he asked.
"Well, I suppose I could use a friend right now..."
"A friend?" he said and you looked at him without mouthing the words "seriously?", he immediately understood.
"Alright, I'm sorry..." he said and you cracked up a smile.
Hermione was patrolling around the floor you were in. She heard your voice and was about to give you a lecture but when he heard Draco too, she stood by and listened in to your conversation.
"He's very distant." you started off.
"I know..." he said and you squinted your eyes at him.
"No, I meant I overheard you too..." he said diverting his gaze away from you.
"Were you following me?" you asked and he didn't answer.
"Draco? Did you follow me?" you asked again and touched his face.
"I did..." he replied looking at your eyes.
"Even if I shouted at you?" you asked again for confirmation.
"I told you before... Even if I you try to drive me away, I'd always come back to you." He replied.
"Your choice with Harry isn't going well?" he asked trying to get rid off the focus on him.
"shut up" you said rolling your eyes at him.
"Well it did hurt me... When you shouted" Draco said honestly.
"I'm sorry..."
"You don't have to."
"Cho's acting weird too... She seems too out of this world, I just try to convince myself that she's also trying to cope up with the loss of Cedric." you said.
"Probably..." he replied.
"What Harry said to you was horrible..." Draco paused "But maybe he's just having some troubles" he said.
"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Lucius Malfoy?" you joked.
"Can't I be nice for once?" he asked seriously.
"Relax, I'm just joking."
"Enough of that, go back to your dorm" he said trying to cover up how flustered he was.
"Come on, I'll help you get through" he said pulling you with him.
"Wait" you said both of your stopping on your tracks.
Hermione then decided to move away from the floor, and she dismissed this as something that "didn't happen". She wanted to nag at you for being out of bed at this hour, but when she heard you and Draco, she had a change of heart.
"Thanks Draco..." you said with a light hug and running off from him.
He smirked as he watched you run with your short legs. He chuckled a bit, finding you adorable.
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