𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 | draco malfoy ✔️

92. battle of the astronomy tower

TRAINING WHEELS
BATTLE OF THE ASTRONOMY TOWER

30th June 1997

The next couple of weeks dragged on for both Amora and Draco. The teenage girl was suspicious of him in a way that had her watching him closer than usual; in a way that had her staying up late at night and thinking over every word he had uttered to her that day to spot lies and holes. It was exhausting and made her feel guilty, but after Pansy's drunken words on his birthday and the words he'd whispered before falling asleep, she couldn't help it.

Draco knew Amora was suspicious. Of course he didn't miss the small frown whenever he said he had to go somewhere, or how concentrated she looked as she listened to him talk to their friends. He guessed it was to do with Pansy, and Draco would never forgive the Slytherin girl if Amora had somehow worked out his true tasks from her words.

But Amora stayed, so he supposed she didn't know. It was obvious she still loved him too. It wasn't awkward between them, they kissed and cuddled and laughed just as much as normal, but there seemed to be some sort of edge to everything.

Draco had fixed the cabinet. It had been fixed for a good few weeks now. He didn't tell Amora this, of course. He had a plan for her, one that would keep her safe. He knew it had to take place soon. The school year was very nearly up and the Dark Lord was getting more and more impatient. On the night he let the Death Eaters into the school, Draco would also have to murder Dumbledore.

He cringed at the mere thought of it. Of using his wand to murder somebody. He could be a bully, he could be violent, and he could be downright cruel, but never did he think he could be a murderer. Draco knew his father had probably done it before. He'd been there when Voldemort had killed Cedric; he hadn't cared that the victim was a boy merely three years older than his own son.

Draco realised he was now the same age that Cedric had been when he was killed. His heart sank. He wondered if Amora had realised it too - that she was soon to be older than her big cousin. It made him feel sick, made him resent the mark on his wrist even further.

The Malfoy boy swallowed as he stared at himself in the mirror and in his heart, he knew it. Today was going to be the day that he changed everything. After tonight, Dumbledore would be dead, Hogwarts would be under the control of Death Eaters, and Amora would despise him.

He wasn't ready. He thought he would be ready, but he isn't.

He felt like a fraud wearing his school uniform. Draco remembered turning up as an eager first year, captivated by all of the small things that somebody of his status shouldn't be interested in. Everything felt so much bigger back then because he was so young - and so, so naive and hateful. He recalled feasts in the Great Hall, Quidditch games, lessons he was sure he'd never forget, finding a love he didn't think he was capable of in a Hufflepuff he swore he hated.

Draco's slender hand smoothed over the green and silver tie around his neck, his eyes falling to where his sleeves were rolled up. He grimaced at the Dark Mark, his other hand absentmindedly grabbing it, his short nails raking over the skin, feeling the raised and jagged bumps of previous harm he had committed on himself. Before he could do anything, he quickly yanked the sleeve down and buttoned the cuff, refusing to look any longer.

Draco yanked his school jumper on and his Slytherin robes and looked at himself in the mirror once more. This was the last time he would ever put on his school uniform.

"Mate, I get that you're self-obsessed or whatever, but if you don't stop looking in the mirror then I'm going to have to push you out of the way," Blaise said from behind him as he adjusted the collar of his shirt so it wasn't tucked in. "You're not the only one in this dorm that has to get ready."