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—A FEW DAYS LATER, ALEXANDRIA WAS WALKING AROUND THE CASTLE, STOPPING WHEN SHE SAW DRACO. Draco, who was sitting by the window that showed the courtyard, didn't notice her— continuing to look at the window.
"Are you alright?" asked a voice suddenly, startling him for a second.
He blinked, then nodded. "I'm alright. Why?"
"You seem.." she leaned on the wall, looking at him in curiosity. "..sad?"
"Is that a guess or a question?"
"Both," shrugged Alexandria, then frowned. "Is there something I can do to help?"
"I don't want to drag you into the mess I'm in, Ellie."
"I want to help, Draco," she frowned deeper, walking to him and sitting down next to him. "Please. It's not like I'll do your whole task or something. I'll just help here and there."
Draco hesitated. "I'm supposed to look for a vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement, but I haven't even started."
"Want to start now?"
He hesitated again, but nodded.
♡
"This is going to take a while," muttered Draco a few minutes later when they had reached the Room of Requirement— which was filled with useless things.
Alexandria picked something up from the ground and immediately dropped it at the strong magic inside, her hand burning. "What was that?" She gasped, snapping out of her shock.
Draco looked at her, noticing the way she was clutching her hand. "What happened? Let me see," he basically demanded.
She was about to show him her hand, but watched in confusion as the burn faded away. "Nevermind," mumbled Alexandria, shaking her head. "Let's just start looking for the cabinet."
"Not if you're hurt!" He called out as she was walking away— already starting to look.
"I'm not!" shouted the girl across the room.
Draco rolled his eyes fondly, also starting to look.
♡
"I found something!" exclaimed a voice suddenly in the midst of searching.
Draco dropped the book he was holding— which he found in a clutter of books— and rushed over to Alexandria, who was standing by a tall, covered thing. "Is that it?"
She shrugged, but pulled the covering thing off of it. "It is," she said, looking at the vanishing cabinet now.
"I'll have to start fixing it soon," said the boy, more to himself than her, then looked at her. "Thank you. Really."
"I just wish this didn't happen to you," Alexandria said, sitting down on a couch. "I can't stand seeing you in so much pain."
"Does the Alexandria Slytherin care for me?" teased Draco with a small grin.
She was quiet for a few seconds, then quietly replied, "Yes. I do."
His eyes softened. He sat down next to her, but didn't look at her. "I'll be alright, Ellie. Whatever happens, I know I'll be alright."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I know I have you by my side. And that's all I really need."
"Of course you do," smiled the girl, which started to fade almost immediately. "I tried to stop him."
He looked at her this time, but in question. "Stop who?"
"My father. I really tried, Draco." She looked away, avoiding his eyes. "But I guess I didn't try hard enough."
"There was nothing you could do—"
"Yes, there was. I'm his daughter. I could've stopped him somehow."
"Ellie, I don't blame you for any of this, because you're not to blame. You shouldn't blame yourself, either. If anything, it was my father's fault."
"I'm so sorry," she said nonetheless.
Draco smiled slightly, even though she didn't notice. "It's alright. I'll be alright."
