dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || what goes around

It was much later than seven when Theodore finally called Kendra. Hermione, as well as most of the rest of the house, had long since gone to sleep, leaving Kendra and Draco to wait up alone until Kendra's necklace grew warm and Theodore's voice came from it.

"Kendra?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled until Kendra grabbed the crystal and brought it away from the fabric of her shirt.

"Theo," Kendra said, relief obvious in her voice. "How'd it go?"

"Longbottom's nice," Theodore said, his voice quiet. "He was pretty willing to let me in when I told him what was going on. Not everyone here is as nice though. There are plenty of Gryffindors who are convinced I'll murder them in their sleep but they respect Longbottom enough to let me in."

Kendra sighed. "I'm glad you're safe, Theo," she said truthfully. "You know I love you, right? Like, no hetero, but I don't know what I would do without you."

"Probably have a less dark sense of humor," Theo replied dryly. "And that's kind of a weird thing to say to your ex-boyfriend, Kiki."

Kendra sighed, exasperated in the best sort of way. She wished she had never told him about her nickname. "Say it back, you little shit," she grumbled. "And I'll stop bothering you."

"Alright, I love you too," Theo said, and it was about as sincere as he could manage. "Even though you threatened me into saying it."

"You know what, I take it back," Kendra groaned. "You're awful."

"No take backsies," Theo teased. "Now, go get some sleep, Kendra. I know you need it."

"You too," Kendra replied, serious. The warmth faded from the crystal, Theodore's voice disappearing with it.

"We should have set the disconnecting word to something different," Draco mused. "Makes for awkward goodbyes if you're not thinking about it specifically."

"Well, hopefully, we won't have to use them much more after the war is all over," Kendra said. "Help me up, will you?"

Draco stood and helped Kendra up. "Do you really think it'll be over soon?"

Kendra sighed, cramming her hands into the pockets of her jeans anxiously. "I have hope that it will," she said. "And if I look within myself, I just feel like it will be."

"Then I believe you," Draco said. "And when the final battle is won, I'll be proud to fight on the same side as you."

"You've changed a lot, Draco Malfoy," Kendra noted, smiling slightly at him. "The boy I saw in the Hospital Wing in fourth year wouldn't have said that to me."

"He might not have said it, but I think he would have thought it," Draco sighed. "I can't thank you enough. You pulled my head far enough out of my ass to make me realize that there was another world besides the one I was used to."

"I'm not going to pretend like I've always liked you," Kendra shrugged. "Cause I definitely hated you for a good five years. But I gave you a second chance the day you apologized to me, and I'm glad I did. I'm proud to be your friend, Malfoy."

"Quit being sappy," he grumbled. "And go to sleep."

"Aye aye, Captain," Kendra snarked, grinning at her friend. He rolled his eyes and moved back to the couch, laying himself out across it. He watched her carefully as she went up the stairs until she could no longer see his watchful eyes.

The relief Kendra felt about Theo was quickly replaced by worry for her other friends. She had been told time and time again that Damon and Mabel would be okay, but that did not mean that she could simply dismiss her worries for them so quickly. Guilt ached in her chest, knowing she had done nothing to help them evade their capture by their father. It did not matter that she had been taken that day too, she had let her friends in direct danger leave her thoughts for far too often.