Innocent | d. malfoy

- nineteen -

Mentions of an abusive relationship...

-

Aria Rowen

"I ended my relationship with Luke..." Indy half sobbed the words as my eyes grew wide.

"You— you ended things?" My gaze wasn't on her but on the growing bruise.

"Mhm..." She continued to cry as I wrapped an arm around her and leaned her head on my shoulder.

I whispered small affirmations to calm her down since most people were asleep and I didn't want them coming into the halls. "It's okay... I'm proud of you... let's get you inside."

She nodded as I helped her up and pulled my wand from my sweater pocket. With a quick flick, the door unlocked and we stepped into my dorm.

Without hesitating, she trudged over to my bed and slumped onto the covers.

"I'm so sorry that I came here... Dylan was playing quidditch with Zabini, I didn't know where Jenna was— but then I remembered that you both went on dates..." She tucked her arm under her head and continued to cry. "-no one in Gryffindor would want to talk to me so I just came down here."

"Don't be sorry, I'm always available..." I walked over and sat on the opposite side of the bed as I began to stroke my hand over her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. "What are best friends for?"

Indy gave a pitiful smile and sat up, bringing her knees to her chest once more. "I— I was thinking— about what Dylan and Jenna said earlier—" Her choked voice caused the tears to resurface. "—and I realized that Luke treats me terrible... well, I've always known that I've just been scared—"

"You need to breathe... take a deep breath," She followed my instruction carefully, forcing air back into her lungs as she got a grip on herself.

"I went to his dorm and... I told him that I was tired of it... that I was done."

"He didn't take it well, did he?" I ran my hand along her back as she let it all out and the tears streamed down her bruised cheek.

"N-No. He— he hit me, Aria."

I took note once more of the red skin that covered her upper jawline, thinking of all the ways I wanted to murder Luke Carrow. "I'm so sorry Indy, you didn't deserve any of that." I leaned forward and pulled her into a tight hug.

I let her cry for several minutes until she fell asleep with my arms still holding her in an embrace. The only thing I could hear was her soft breathing, occasionally interrupted by a small sob or cry.

After a few more minutes, I let go of her tired body to lay her back and rest her head on the pillow. I felt awful for all that had happened to her, but she was free now. None of us were going to let him hurt her again.

Usually we'd try and talk some sense into her, but she almost always defended Luke and his actions.

I pulled the blanket up to her neck and brushed her hair away from her face, being careful not to touch the forming bruise.

If I could take care of Indy, that meant I wouldn't have to focus on Draco.

I hurriedly changed into a pair of shorts and an old quidditch t-shirt that Dylan had let me borrow— even though I never returned it. It was fair because she still had plenty of my belongings so we basically shared a closet.