Then I Met You [D.M.]

Year Two: A Friends Breaking Point

15th December, 1992, Evening

By mid-December, Violet's friends had caught on that there was something going on between her. Aimee briefly knew what it was, that Violet was studying with Draco, so she wasn't worried much. But Caroline and Cedric were more concerned, especially when the only response they got from Violet about where she was going was, "to study". Hannah was trying to stay out of it, though she was curious.

This particular evening, Caroline had decided she'd had enough of Violet running off after dinner. Aimee knew where their friend went, but refused to tell the others, as she didn't want another fight to happen. Finally, against Aimee's disapproval, Caroline followed Violet after dinner. 

Aimee and Hannah, hoping to prevent further fighting, followed Caroline. By the time they'd gotten to the library, Violet was already at her usual table, pulling out a Herbology book, while Draco read through a chapter for Potions.

When Caroline rounded the corner and saw the two, she gasped in outrage, "Seriously?!"

Violet and Draco both jumped at the sudden noise. Draco stared at the girls, eyes wide. 

"What're you doing here?" Violet asked, glancing between her friends and Draco. 

"Us? What're you doing here?!" Caroline stepped forward, crossing her arms. 

"We're studying." Violet shrugged, trying to stay calm. The closer Hannah got, the more tense Draco got. Violet could see his mental walls going back up. She'd been so proud that she'd gotten through to him, that he was finally starting to trust her, and now her friends were messing it all up.

"Studying? Right." Caroline scoffed.

"Caroline-" Aimee edged forward.

"No! I knew there was something going on." The blonde rounded on her friends, glaring at each of them before her gaze settled back on Violet, her tone harsh, "Why else would you keep defending him? Why else would you care so much?"

Hannah tried to interrupt, "That's not fair, Caroline." 

Violet wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, she was angry at her friends. How dare they come here and accuse her of- what? Having other friends? They were turning Draco away from her, she could feel it. She could see it in the way he refused to look at her, and how tense he was. But on the other hand, she knew this would eventually catch up to her. She had gotten so used to lying to her friends about where she was, she never expected them to question or challenge her on it.

"Well?!" Caroline snapped. Aimee and Hannah finally stepped forward, nudging Caroline back, as she'd gotten uncomfortably close to Violet.

"What do you want me to say, Caroline?" Violet cried, her anger and guilt building up to tears, "He's my friend! Despite what everyone thinks, he's not a bad guy! I don't care what you think, okay? If you were really my friend, you'd understand-"

Hannah couldn't help it, "Understand that you're friends with the enemy?"

"He's not the enemy!" Violet shouted. She shook her head violently, repeating quieter, "He's not the enemy."

"If you were really our friend, you'd know that's not true. I won't be friends with Slytherin Scum or apologists." Caroline shot back. She leveled Draco with a sneer before turning on her heel and leaving, Hannah following after her.

Aimee tried to move towards Violet, but the girl on waved her off.

Her voice was pleading, "I'm sorry, Vi. I tried to stop them. I didn't tell them you were here."

Violet was staring at her hands fisted on the table, "It's fine. Just... Go, please?" 

Violet didn't know what to say. She knew she had to be careful, that one wrong word would send Draco spiraling. She didn't want to lose him, she realized. She really did believe he was her friend.

"Draco..." She tried, looking over at him. His jaw was clenched, but he showed no other signs of how he was feeling or what he was thinking. She'd just started being able to read him, and now he was shutting himself off again.

"Draco," She tried again, pleading. He finally looked at her, "Please, I didn't tell them."

He nodded, then stood and grabbed his things.

"Please, don't go." He was really leaving? 

He refused to look at her, and she couldn't help it; she started crying. 

Draco couldn't believe it. Or, rather, he didn't want to believe it. That Violet, the first person he let in, the first person he started to let see his true self, betrayed his trust. The one thing he asked of her was to not tell anyone about their studying together. And yet, three of her closest friends had just stormed in like Prefects on a mission and chastised them. 

He was too hurt to think clearly. He'd listened to every word the girls had said, even the part where the one girl- Aimee, was it?- claimed she didn't tell the other two. But that meant she knew, which meant Violet had told her. Violet had broken the one promise she'd made. 

Later, when he had calmed down and was able to clearly think through things, he'd realized two things. 

One, Violet said they'd been studying. Not that she was tutoring him, which she technically wasn't anymore, but that they'd be studying together. That meant no one knew he'd been so desperate and close to failure that he'd had to ask for help. And two, Violet had defending him, again. Even though it meant she'd likely just lost one of her best mates, she'd stood up for him. And he repaid her by leaving her there, alone and crying. 

No matter how mad he had been, or how betrayed he felt, he realized that wasn't fair to her. She didn't mean for any of that to happen, and instead of thanking her for trying to be his friend, he punished her. He pushed away the only person he genuinely cared about, and for what? Because he thought she'd broken the promise she made? A promise that, in the end, didn't really matter, because what was he protecting himself from? From others knowing he wanted good grades, that he put effort into his studies?

He'd been cruel to Violet before. But this, he decided, would be it. He'd make it up to her somehow, if she'd let him. Godric knows he didn't deserve another chance, not when she'd already given him so many... But still, he would try.