Not A Love Story

Chapter 18-Headmasters office

Pansy Parkinson had been called up to professor Dumbledore's office, as had me and Draco. We walked hand in hand, holding onto hope that maybe it was Pansy who had taken Lilli, but alsk never wanting that to happen.

Draco said the password to the office as I was spaced out, lost in thought as had been since I found out she could be alive.

When we got up there, Pansy was already sitting in a chair and professor Dumbledore was no where to be seen.

Hearing the door open, Pansy spun around, eyes widening when she saw me and Draco.

"Malfoy? Riders?" She said, crossing her arms, "Why are you here?"

"Because of you, Parkinson." I said coldly, sitting in the chair furthest from her.

Draco sat in between the two of us, resting a hand on my thigh softly, as a way of telling me to calm down.

The headmaster walked in after a few moments, sitting at the seat across the table.

He set down a small bottle filled with a colorless liquid.

"Hello Ms. Parkinson, Ms. Riders, and Mr. Malfoy." He said calmly, folding his hands on his desk. "You may be wondering why your here Ms. Parkinson."

Pansy shook her head yes, glaring over at me for a brief second before turning back to face the headmaster.

"Well, there's been... Concerns from the other two students sitting here about matters that happened around the winters ball."

Pansy looked a bit startled, maybe even worried.

"If you would please," Dumbledore said, picking up the bottle, "I would like you to drink this."

Pansy grabbed the bottle hesitantly, opening the top and drinking a small bit.

"Thank you Ms. Parkinson. Now, do you know anything about Ms. Riders daughter?"

"You mean the little one she's constantly carrying around, yeah I think I do." She said, rolling her eyes.

"Do you and Ms. Riders have a good relationship?"

"No, we don't. She's such a teacher's pet and it's obvious shes the teachers favorites." She glared at me again and I looked away.

"Do you know anything about what happened to Ms. Riders daughter?"

"Yeah of course I do. She disappeared after the winters ball."

"Disappeared? As in alive?" He asked

"Yeah of course the brats alive, she was taken. I got an anonymous letter asking if I could give any sort of information about where the two of them would be at different times." Pansy responded

My eyes widened as I turned to look at her again.

"Did you give the writer such information?" The headmaster asked.

"Of course."

My eyes started to water as I stared at her.

"And you have no idea who sent the letter?"

"None."

"Your no longer needed, thank you Ms. Parkinson."

"My pleasure" she said sarcastically, walking out.

"This has gotten us no where, we only know what we knew before." Draco said, staring at the door.

"No, we know now that whoever it was that took the child knew about Ms. Parkinson and Ms. Riders bad relationship." Dumbledore said, standing up and walking to a bookshelf at the back of his room.

"What does that help? So it's someone who knew we didn't like each other, everyone knows that. It's not something that's kept secret." I snapped, standing up.

"Ms. Riders it is clear that whoever it may be that has your daughter has inside information but are not a student themselves, which means we must look for connections to students. And, perhaps, teachers."

"Oh yeah," I said sarcastically, "that's helping so much right now." I crossed my arms.

"Brin he's just trying to help us." Draco said, resting a hand on my shoulder.

I pushed his hand away.

"Well he's not helping, and this shouldn't even be your problem. You don't know how much finding her means to me. I raised her alone for five months Malfoy, you weren't there. She dosent even know who you are." I snapped, turning and walking out the door quickly.

I heard Draco's footsteps following me as I ran down the stairs and out into the corridor.

"Brinley wait!" I heard him call after me, but I kept running.

I got to the doors that led to the schools garden, I had stumbled across it a while back.

Pushing open the door, I ran down the small maze-like path and found my way to the middle before I realized it was raining.

I sat down on the bench, pulling my knees to my chest and crying.

I thought I had lost Draco on the way until I felt someone sit down next to me and wrap their arms around me.

"Sh, it's okay Brin." He said, pulling me closer to him.

"We're never going to find her.." I whispered, leaning against him, his shirt warm.

"Don't say that, never give up hope. Lilli needs it right now. I'm sure if that." He said, rubbing my back softly.

"Lilli needs hope." I repeated to myself.