Obliviate

Drowning

You'd think that living on the run, never knowing what were around each corner would be exhilarating. But that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I knew it'd be hard, I knew we'd be tested. But I thought that being with my best friends would, at the very least, provide a little contentment. But no.

Our hunt was less than fruitful. So terrible in fact that all we'd done was bicker. An entire week straight, we barely said a word to one another. No longer working together, just coexisting.

I sit around our lamp each evening, watching the dancing flame, imagining it were Draco and I. "I've done what he did to me" I spoke glumly, hardly expecting a reply. "What Iz?" Hermione's voice was worrisome.

"I've left Draco, when he needed me the most. I've left him with the death eaters.. he must be miserable" I sighed, resting my head on my scrawny wrist.

"He's done far worse to you" Harry scoffed, he almost sounded like Draco these days. He must have realised the sharp tone in his voice, as he quickly changed it afterwards. "You're a far better person than Malfoy, Iz. I assure you he'll not think any bad of you."

"I suppose you're right. He'll benefit from Tom's death too, Lucius might look him in the eyes then" I shook my head, imagining Draco having a daily exchange with his dreadful father whilst I'm gone.

"I think he'd sooner go blind" Ron added, we all laughed. We glanced at one another, apologetically.. "Hagrid grew up here, did you know that?" Hermione added, clearly grateful for my conversation starter.

"I came here once, on a camping trip with my parents. The Forest of Dean it's called, if you aren't aware" she became more cheery as she carried on, I was captivated by everything she'd ever said.

"We're in Gloucestershire, by the way. Have any of you been before?" She prompted for a reply, I shook my head. "Yes Hermione, I came here on one of my many holidays with the Dursley's" Harry said, sarcastically, poking fun at her. That made Ron split his sides.

Harry sat on a camp bed, prodding at the golden snitch Dumbledore had given him. "I can't believe he left you two something and not me" Ron groaned, studying him.

What he didn't know, was that he'd left me something too. Something I hadn't found an appropriate time, or place, to leave for Harry to find. Which made this whole mess a whole lot more annoying for me.

Knowing everything we needed was right in my pocket, but I couldn't let Harry know I'd given it to him..

"Have you still not figured it out Harry?" I asked, already knowing the answer, but I just wanted him to speak again. "Did you hear that?" Hermione interrupted, jumping to her feet.

"Hear what?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows at her shocking display. I heard it too, a crunching of leaves, and a muffled voice outside of our tent. "That!" She squealed.

"I heard it too" I admitted. "Belle?" I heard the unmistakable sound of Draco's cries. "Oh goodness Hermione, let him in please. I'm begging" I wailed, almost reduced to tears at the sound of his voice.

She'd set a number of enchantments around the tent, to conceal us to eye and ear of any death eaters, or followers of Tom. "It won't be him. It'll be a trap" Harry hissed, overly paranoid.

I didn't listen, I knew it were him straight away. No one else called me Belle. I ran out of the tent, before they could convince me otherwise. I broke the enchantment, putting us at risk of being seen for a moment, just long enough to pull Draco inside, and resealing us into nothingness.

"Oh Draco!" I cried, clutching his face in mine. He wasn't happy to see me, he looked devastated. "You left me" he choked, he looked broken. I felt sick to my stomach, he looked so gaunt, despite how little time had passed since I'd last seen him, beyond the windows of 12 Grimmauld Place.