In His Shadow (Draco Malfoy X Reader) MOVED

Chapter 45: Take Your Time

Epona's POV:

I could pretty much feel Harry getting angrier by the moment as he talked to his friends. I was gonna put my hand on his shoulder, but what's the use? He's going to get pissed sooner or later. Then, he was yelling about what he'd done the past years, and got to our fourth year.

"WHO HAD TO GET PAST DRAGONS AND SPHINXES AND EVERY OTHER FOUL THING LAST YEAR? WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? ME!" He yelled, and I made a noise with my nose, and looked at him expectantly, "AND EFFIE!"

I bowed and did a little wave with my hand. I listened to the rest, and then when Harry calmed down a bit, the twins apparated into the room.

"Oh, hey Fred, George." I waved at them, my expression still annoyed.

"Hello, Efs." They said in unison, and I snorted. Nickname for my nickname. Fun.

They told Harry he was interfering in their ear thing, and the door to the room opened. Ginny walked in, smiling. 

"Oh, Hey Harry. I thought I heard your voice." She then turned to me, "Effie!" She smiled brighter, and ran up and hugged me.

I hugged her back, smiling, "Ginny! How's it been?"

She grinned," Oh you know, how it is, still never being told anything ever."

I nodded understandingly.

The conversation went on, and I felt myself on the verge of tears. The Ministry is trying to convince everyone that Harry and I are just some stupid kids who want to keep our fame. I barely could stutter out that the only reason we were famous is because our parents were fucking murdered, Harry wasn't, and I was put in a coma for fourteen years of my life.

Like that's just something so fucking joyous.

"I-I need to go.." I said, pushing past the twins and walking to the bathroom. 

I sat down on the bathroom floor and cried silently. I pulled out my phone, and with shaky hands scrolled through my contacts. I felt my gaze fall onto Draco's name, and I clicked it. I don't know why, but I just need to talk to someone. And he felt...right.

I called him, and he answered almost instantly.

"Epona?" He asked, then heard my sobs, and his voice filled with worry, "Darling, what's wrong? Are you okay? What did those assholes do to you-"

I stopped him, "W-Why? T-They said that H-Harry and I just...just want to s-stay famous..." I sobbed into the phone, "It's like, like they d-don't ev-even care that our parents were murdered that night! My whole childhood was taken from me! And they think I just want fame? I-I..."

Draco was quiet, "I know. Epona, it's going to be hard. People will come after you at every turn just because you were out into a position you never had a choice to be in. They'll try to bring you down. But you can't let them take any sense of pride or dignity you have. IF you give up and give in to them, you're just as bad as they are..."

I took a deep breath, my breath wavering each time I exhaled. I understand what he's saying...but part of me doesn't just feel like he's just saying it. It feels like he's talking from experience; like he's given up.

"have you given up?" I whispered.

He was quiet again for a moment, hesitant to answer, "I think part of me did. But I'm not so alone anymore, am I?"

I felt myself smile and sniffle, "Yeah. You're not. And neither am I."

Then, Mrs. Weasley's voice rang through the door, "Effie, dear? It's time for dinner, come out when you can."

"I'll be right out." I called, and I heard her footsteps fade away, "I have to go."

"Okay. Make sure to eat well and know that..." He paused, "That I'm here for you whenever you need it."

I nodded, then remembered he couldn't see me, "I know. And the same goes for you. I'll be there whenever you need me." I smiled, "Bye, Draco."

"See you soon, darling." He said breathy, and I inhaled sharply. Fuck..... I cleared my throat a bit as I could practically hear his smirk. He did that on purpose.

And I hung up. I gulped, then put my phone in my pocket and walked outside the bathroom, walking into the kitchen, meeting Ginny along the way. I was greeted joyfully by Mr. Weasley, and even Sirius when I sat down next to my brother at the table. Ginny eyed me carefully.

"have you been crying?" Her voice was hushed as for no one else could hear.

I matched her volume, "i don't know, do you have a crush on harry?"

Her face went redder than her hair and she elbowed me. Ginny had accidentally let it slip this summer that she liked Harry, and I haven't let her live it down. To be honest, if it weren't for Harry's crush on Cho and total obliviousness to Ginny, they would make a cute couple. But my brother is a dumbass.

"at least i don't have a crush on the enemy git malfoy." Her voice stayed hushed down, and my face turned bright red.

"i don't know what you're talking about." I whispered back, and she just smirked.

"you're face says otherwise."

"shut up."

She snickered, and I elbowed her. Some of the table looked at us curiously, but went back to their business. Though I don't blame them, both of us looked like tomatoes from the redness of our cheeks. 

If I'm being honest, Ginny and I only paid half attention to what was going on anyways. Harry would rant about it later to me anyways. Now that he feels I can know because enough shit has happened to me already. And I threatened to light his books on fire, so it just became the norm that he'd tell me before we got to that point.

Although Ginny and I had talked all summer, there was still a lot to catch up on. She pretty much summed up in her own goofy way what had been going on in the Order. I like that about her. She's serious when she needs to be, but is a total goofball like her brothers when she wants to be. It's nice having friends who are so loose and fun.

And I can't forget the one uptight friend, who honestly needs to hang out with my group more. Ginny, Cassie, August, and if Draco joined us, we'd be the best. Even if when he did hang out with us he'd pretend he was annoyed to seem 'cool'.

Maybe that's what he was talking about. He gave in to what people said about him, he never got the choice to decide what family he was born into, and so people judged him for it. And on that day he gave in and didn't ever get the chance to prove anyone wrong. He said he wasn't alone anymore. But what could I possibly do to help him?

I just hope I can though.

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Hello, everyone! How's it going? I hope it's going great for you out there. I finished one of the drawings of them on a Saturday before the end of Fourth year.

Hope you're having a stellar day/night wherever you are. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and...

Until Next Time, Byeee!