magnolia ~ h. potter

forty-seven

CHAPTER 47

[ THE SOUND OF SILENCE ]

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EMILY SPENT THE WHOLE DAY OVERTHINKING.

It wasn't as if she did it on purpose, but with little else to do in the attic except think about her escape tonight, it was inevitable. Her mind ran through every possible scenario that could occur tonight, twirling her wand through her fingers.

Draco came by around midday to check on her, making sure they had figured everything out. He'd be up later that evening, as nobody would be expecting him downstairs, and they'd wait together until the coast was clear.

So, Emily waited, eyes patiently trained on the clock.

I'll come by after dinner.

After spending over a week in the manor, Emily had learned the habits, and if her calculations were correct, dinner would be over by now and Draco should be up any minute.

However, Draco didn't come. Emily waited well over an hour in the attic, her stomach twisting into intricate knots of worry.

What if something had happened? What if they had figured them out, and Draco was lying on the ground of the drawing-room right now, body cold and lifeless?

"Screw this," Emily muttered to herself, grasping her wand and crawling towards the sliding panel on the back of the closet. 

This was not the plan, but Emily didn't care; if Draco was dead, she was on her own, and she needed to get out.

Carefully, quietly, she moved the panel, pushing aside the clothes hanging in the back of the closet and slipping through the small opening. She cracked open the door of the closet, ears straining to see if she could hear anything. When she was met with silence, she slowly crawled out of the closet, before standing up in the room. The sky outside was dark and cloudy, stars nowhere in sight.

Just as she made a move towards the door, she heard a commotion on the stairs. Panic filled Emily as she rushed to the side of the door, wand pointed at the opening. If anybody came through this door, she'd hex them to all hell. Thankfully, when the door flew open, she recognized Draco's mop of blonde hair.

"Jesus," she let out in an elated breath, "Where have you been?"

The look on Draco's face made her heart sink. His eyes met hers, filled with panic and fear.

"Something's happening," he said quickly, his breath coming in short bursts.

"What do you mean?" Emily asked, the grip o her wand tightening.

"You have to go, now, while they're distracted," he managed to bring out, and now Emily was frowning.

"Busy with what?" she asked, and Draco avoided her gaze.

"There's people here, suspected Order members," he said evasively, and Emily's eyes went wide.

"Who?" Emily asked, and he didn't reply, "Draco, who is it?"

"Please. . ." he begged her, "Emily, you have to go. This is your chance. They're going to call the Dark Lord and once he's here. . . I'm not an occlumens, and he will know you're here. Please don't be a hero, Emily, please,"