NUMB WITHOUT YOU | Draco Malfoy

| 09

Of all the famous wizarding families, never were there two that didn't get along quite like the Weasleys and the Malfoys. They were as opposite one another as the Capulets and the Montagues, and their constant fighting with one another could be traced back for generations. There were a lot of past transgressions that had been forgiven, but Ron Weasley had never forgotten the years of torment his family experienced at the hands of Draco and Lucius Malfoy.

"You better have a really good explanation for bringing him into my house, Rory." Ron seethed as he kept his wand pointed accusingly at Draco. He hadn't put it down since he came into the room. His chest was rising and falling at a quick pace as anger filled his entire body.

"I would hardly call this a house." Draco muttered as he looked around at the mismatched furniture with disgust. He wasn't threatened by Ron, or at least he wasn't showing that he was. "Nice pajamas." He smirked letting his eyes rest on Ron as the Weasley's ears turned bright red. He was wearing a matching pajama set that Hermione had gotten him for Valentine's Day that was covered in big red hearts.

"Draco, enough." I hissed. He shut his mouth, but not before exchanging glares with Ron.

"Rory, please. What's wrong? You look distraught." Hermione said as she looked at me with concern and ignored her boyfriend completely. She pulled her robe even tighter around her torso. It was still the middle of the night and we had clearly woken them up. I held up my arm to show her my dark mark was back completely. I nudged Draco and he did the same, rolling up his sleeve to show the two of them.

Ron and Hermione looked at our arms in shock before exchanging a worried glance. "I'll go call Harry." Ron said before walking into the kitchen. Hermione motioned for us to sit down on the couch. I happily obliged, but Draco chose to stand awkwardly near me. I don't think he wanted to touch anything belonging to Weasley or Granger.

"Do you know how this happened?" Hermione asked. She nodded towards my exposed arm, but wouldn't dare say the words.

I shook my head, "No idea. We were out with a few others at a club and our arms just started burning. Next thing I knew our marks were back to looking like they did during the war." I looked up at Draco for affirmation and he nodded his head. His grey eyes looked clouded as he thought about what this could mean.

"I thought the dark mark was directly connected to Voldemort." Hermione said nervously. "That's why they faded to scars when he was defeated."

"They were." I confirmed her suspicions, "but they also connected all of us. The Death Eaters, that is. It was kind of like a personal network." I tried my best to explain, but unless you had the mark you couldn't fully understand what it was like.

"Do you think someone is using it again?" Hermione asked. "The network?"

"It's possible." Draco spoke up, "but whoever would try that would have to be really stupid. Most of the Death Eaters are still locked up in Azkaban indefinitely."

"There's been a break in." Ron said as he walked back into the room. He had just finished talking to Harry. He looked warily at Draco like he didn't trust him with this information.

"In Azkaban?" Hermione asked. Her voice raised an octave and she looked genuinely worried.

"What? No, of course not." Ron furrowed his brow in confusion, "It was at Gringotts. Why would it be Azkaban?"

"I dunno. It just sprung to mind." Hermione lied. She clearly didn't want to worry Ron any more than he already was. She could do enough worrying for the both of them.

"I'm going to check it out. You two should come along. Harry will be there." Ron said as his eyes shifted between Draco and I, "The dark marks... the break in... Somehow, this all feels connected."