Ardenia | Draco Malfoy 18+

CHAPTER 60

Complete sorrow had consumed what was left of the girl's thoughts. It controlled her in a time of blame; she became vulnerable when he left, she was left cold and he was left shattered in the depths of his skin.

She sits alone in the tree stump as she clung to the piece that kept her warm. Dracos jacket and Mattheo's shirt, two things that she held so close as if they were with her.

The wind blows against her hair, knocking off specks of snow from a half-hour before, Claude wouldn't get up and help her friends, she would just watch them collect everything for her, watching over the girl he left.

Her dreaded eyes were hard to keep open, she hadn't stopped crying, Blaise and Pansy tried consoling her, but she never looked at them, not even sparing at least one glance.

"I can't believe he just left, I had a feeling that he was going to do something stupid but I didn't think it would be this," Pansy exclaimed, her breathing low as her voice, trying everything she could to find an answer without paining Claude any further.

The boy scurried over to grab his bag alongside the girl, "I'm more upset he didn't even tell me, he used to tell me everything, he's like a different person." Blaise pondered at the thought of his own words.

Steps of ice shattering beneath their feet grew louder when they moved closer to the brunette. They stood at least a foot away from her, giving her the space she needed.

The two people stood with such nervousness thinking that if they try to speak to her she wouldn't listen like last time.

After a time of thinking for the two of them, a deep but shaky breath took their minds away until it was her that ran through it at this moment.

She pushed her hair behind her shoulder and let out a weary laugh., making those around her just as confused as she is.

"We should get going, that's if you both are still going with me." She bit her lip trying to hold her voice from breaking like it just did mid-sentence.

A warm embrace was wrapped around her tightly, not similar to Draco's but with the scent of his jacket, it felt like him. She misses him.

"We're finding Riddle together, that's what we said from the start, and that is what we're here for, alright?" Pansy said chillingly whilst she tried keeping positive thoughts around the girl she held in her arms.

The brunette raised her hand to touch her friends, holding her softly and releasing the pain she endured not long ago.

"Then we should get going!" His voice sounded loud in the small space the three of them made together. Blaise hesitated for a minute when he saw the way their eyes quickly turned to him.

His eyes rapidly followed a snowflake that fell before him, "Cold– it's cold and the Manor is hours of a walk away." Blaise chuckled, taking a step towards the girls.

He rested his hands out for them both to take, a grin on his face the entire time they stared at him blankly.

Pansy reached out for his hand and smiled with the boy before they both turned their focus to the girl with a thoughtful look on her face. It was an easy answer, but did she really want to do this?

"My hand will be frozen in a few seconds, and I plan on keeping it-"

A warm embrace, followed by a laugh had set the tone around them. "You're going to need it."

After a short while, he happened to make her smile, and it only lasted a few seconds before she went back to the way she was, torn. Torn from the many words she's been given by hatred and mistrust.