Shades of Black

Chapter 23

Indira

After successfully managing to get out of Umbridge's office without being noticed, I stomped ferociously to the dungeons- passing some freaked out students along the way. I was unsure of how I was going to approach the situation. I could burst through Draco's door,  yell at him for what he had done, and swipe the memory I needed while it was on his mind. On the other hand, I could try to muscle up alligator tears and make him feel guilty so he hands it over willingly, or to where he'd hopefully just tell me the truth. Whatever I do would be decided when I saw him.

Anger flooded through my veins, making my head hot and causing me to break a sweat as I hauled myself through the common room and up the stairway. My heels caused loud echoes to bounce of the walls, hopefully readying Draco for my arrival. In a matter of seconds, I stood in front of his door. Months ago I would have taken a deep breath, hesitant to knock, but today was a different story. Gripping my wand in one hand and making sure the empty vile was easily accessible in my pocket, I grabbed onto the doorknob and forcefully pushed. However, it was did not budge- being unusually locked. This made me even more furious, so I pointed my wand at the knob, "Alohamora!" I screamed.

As I heard the lock twist and turn, I tried once more and successfully bursted through the door. I was fully prepared to stare Draco down, but was left looking at an empty room. The bed was made and the curtains were drawn, making the room even darker than usual. I had fully expected him to be sleeping in, still nestled under his sheets, but I turned on my heel and slammed the door shut nonetheless. Hastily making my way back out of the common room, everyone was sitting on the couch and saw me in the wild condition.

"Indie, where have you been?" Astoria called out, sitting very close to Theo who stayed silent.

"You look terrifying...," Blaise spoke, causing Pansy to smack his shoulder roughly, "What? I mean she looks scary in a mood sense, not her looks!"

I shortly stopped to give Blaise a snare.

Pansy looked back at me apologetically, "Are you okay? If you're looking for Draco he's-" I cut her off before she could finish whatever she was going to say about him.

"I don't have time to talk. I'll catch you guys later." With that, I swept out of the door matching down the corridor.

I was determined to find Draco on my own, so I was going to check every place he could possibly be. First, the Great Hall where he would usually be enjoying our annual morning tea- but nothing. Then, the library where he would spend hours studying to show off he was top of the class- nothing again. Finally, after interrogating many people to see if they knew where "Malfoy" was, I started toward the stairs again. If he were to be anywhere at this point, it was going to be the previous Astronomy Tower. The usual 15 minute trip flew by as I was being powered by adrenaline, ready to confront him.

Once I reached the top, revealing the oh-so-familiar archway that led to the balcony, I wasted no time. As I sped across the concrete flooring and into the open, Draco was once again nowhere to be found. I felt as if I was playing an intense game of hide and seek, and Draco was a child who somehow figures a way to be found last. I lowered my once again raised wand and walked to the balcony, placing my forearms on the cold stone and looked out at the school grounds. It was a particularly rainy day, the dark clouds twisting around in the sky and the now leaf-filled Womping Willow swaying in the wind.

My heart rate began to slow, the adrenaline wearing off. I felt defeated and didn't know where to go from here. I thought to myself where could he possibly be....It was almost as if he had avoiding me- seeing me rampage through the halls and strategically going to opposite way. It was just so abnormal, odd... I didn't want to look at him, but I had expected that he would be happily waiting for my return. I visualized a happy Draco, hopping out of bed and trying to embrace me as I entered the room- wanting to tell me how much he had missed me and beginning to explain his horrid nightmares he always seems to have... His grey eyes having formed more darkened circles underneath, needing my comfort to fix it. Thinking of this made a spark of happiness flutter through me, but it quickly diminished as I remembered how he betrayed me.