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—"THAT WAS SOMEWHAT DRAMATIC," SAID ALEXANDRIA THAT NIGHT WHEN HARRY FINISHED TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AFTER SHE LEFT. The two were at the Astronomy tower, even though it was midnight. "Well, Katie Bell almost died, so yes. It was dramatic," he rolled his eyes.
"Almost? But she wore the necklace. How didn't she die?"
"Dumbledore did something to stop it as soon as she was brought into the hospital wing."
"Oh," frowned the girl, still a bit confused, but let it go.
"I'm sorry about you and Malfoy," Harry changed the subject with a concerned look. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
She sighed, leaning into his arms as she was cold but forgot to bring a jacket. "He was using me. He wanted me to have feelings for him so that if he were to fail his mission, I would convince my father to not kill him or anything like that."
"I'm sorry," he slung an arm over her shoulder, resting his chin on top of her head. "You deserve better."
"I almost felt something with him— nevermind," she shook her head.
"No, no. Go on," said Harry softly. "I'm always here to listen."
"Alright," sighed his sister. "I think I did feel something with him, but something was holding me back—"
"Cedric. You're feeling guilty for being able to like somebody else, but not Cedric." Harry cut her off knowingly. "Alexandria, it's totally normal. Didn't he say that all he wanted was your happiness?"
"He died in my arms! He didn't know what he was saying!"
"And on the verge of dying he explained everything that happened the past few months with him just so you could understand. Alexandria, he might've loved you, but he didn't want you to love him back. He wanted you to love. And if you have feelings for Draco, he'd be smiling and he'd be happy for you. He'd be proud, Alexandria."
"I don't know the meaning of love, Harry. I complain about not hearing those three words, when in reality, I can't even say them myself."
"I'm sorry you're going through that. I really am. But I'm always here for you."
♡
"Ellie!" said a voice when Alexandria was walking back to the common room about an hour later.
She stopped walking and looked around the seemingly-empty corridor.
"Right here," said Draco— who was in the corner, a leg propped up on the wall and his hands in his pockets.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" asked Alexandria, voice less sharp than she wanted it to be.
A flash of hurt crossed his face, but it was gone as soon as it came. "I've been meaning to talk to you," he said, walking up to her.
Not knowing what to reply with, she started to fidget with her bracelet.
His eyes caught this movement. He softly took her hand, looking at the bracelet— eyes on the rose charm. "You're wearing it." He stated, more to himself than her.
"Yeah, well, I finally opened your letter after months of having it."
"I was wondering when you'd finally open it," a small smile crossed his face.
She took her hand out of his, avoiding eye contact. "If you've got nothing more to say, I'd like to leave—" she made an attempt to leave, but was stopped.
"I wasn't using you."
And perhaps it was a bad thing to stop and listen, but that was exactly what she did.
"I really wasn't, Ellie," Draco shook his head, his eyes never leaving her face. "I'd never use you. I'd even gladly die if you want me to."
Alexandria swallowed. "Why didn't you tell me this the other day?"
"I was a coward, but not because of my task or anything.. I'm a coward towards my own feelings, Ellie."
"What do you mean, Draco?" asked the girl tiredly.
He released a breath, now looking nervous. "I'm falling in love with you," he whispered, still looking at her. "I've always liked you. Even when we were kids. But ever since a few years ago.. it wasn't just a crush.. I genuinely am falling in love with you and I don't want to get up. I've been falling in love with you ever since we were 13– I just didn't realize it. I realized it when we were 14– when I was jealous of Diggory. I realized it when we were 15– when I was worried when you hurt your head on our mission and the only thing on my mind was helping you and getting you back home, even though I knew that the dark lord would hurt me badly, and you knew that too, which was why you didn't let me take you back home. I realized it this year when I saw you at the ball. And when we kissed that day. And when we talked about useless things for the rest of the night. And when I heard your laugh— especially because I was the cause of it."
Looking into his honest, grey eyes, Alexandria became quiet— the shock shown in her eyes.
"You don't have to say it back," said Draco quickly. "I didn't tell you this so you could say it back. I told you this so you'd know I'd never use you. I'd never do something that would break your heart, Ellie."
But maybe that's where the problem was; she couldn't say it back.
She was too busy wanting to be loved that she forgot to love.
