Narcissa Malfoy [HARRY POTTER AFTERLIFE FANFICTION]

Chapter 34

Damius. It was most of what she thought about. Sometimes she found herself scribbling his name, other times she saw his cat eyes glowing in the dark of the shadows. If only he'd told her who he was earlier, everything would be much simpler. 

She knew where he was now, she'd read it in the Daily Prophet. It was hard picturing him there, sitting in a cell doing who knew what. Azkaban was not a pleasant place to be, even without the Dementors there. Thankfully, nothing about her appeared on the papers. The story had been twisted around so much Issa could've been a muggle boy.

The truth remained between Professor McGonagall and Issa.

On the paper, Damius was shown as his real self. As Damius, and not Long Beard, or the old man Issa first saw him as. She imagined how much it took them get him to show his real face.

He was pensioned for 15 years. Issa was supposed to feel good about it, but only felt guilty.

There is nothing to feel guilty about! He did this to himself! Why do you even care? She repeated it in her head. Over and over again.

Issa was still at Hogwarts. She tried to pretend as if nothing had happened, but the repetitive questions refreshed her memories.
They asked where she had been "Beauxbatons", they asked why she came back "It wasn't the school for me", they wondered about more, and Issa tried her best not to ignore them and walk away.

Albus was in the infirmary, Issa felt as if she should visit him. Really, the feeling even made her queasy. He'd come and risk his life for her at the Chambers, the minimum she could do was say a simple hi. But Issa wasn't good at that kind of stuff, saying "I hope you feel better" or "How are you feeling?" weren't part of her vocabulary.

She was skipping class, as Professor McGonagall had requested. Issa had missed much, and she wasn't sure yet if she was going to have to repeat the year.

When McGonagall had told her this, Issa had freaked out.

"I'll do the O.W.Ls! Please, give me a chance to do them. You might not believe me, but Damius taught me many things. More than enough. Please let me try." Issa had begged.

"But you haven't been in school for months. You are saying Lestrange taught you everything?" Professor McGonagall looked at her from above her spectacles that were perched on her nose.

"Not everything, but more than enough for my O.W.Ls. I'm sure that if you let me try them, I'll do them as good as if I've never had left."

Professor McGonagall didn't look so convinced, but a light of hope flickered in her eyes. "I do hope so, Miss Malfoy. I guess there's no harm in trying."

"Thank you, really, thank you, Professor."

"Yes, alright." 

Issa played with her hands nervously as she strode without noticing to the Hospital Wing. It wasn't until she was pushing the door she realized what she was getting into. Albus would be there, laying on the bed sleeping or staring at the ceiling. What would she say? Ugh, she hated this. She wished Albus would just know what she wanted to say without exactly saying it. Maybe he could, Issa thought. Albus was very brilliant at surprising her.

Inside, it was bright. The walls were the color of cream and it smelled of baked cookies, oddly. She turned her head and he was there, instantly pretending to be asleep. Issa tried hard not to laugh.  

She thought of what to say as she neared him, but her steps were too long, and her time too short. She was there before Issa would've wanted to.

"Good mo- How are- Um-" Issa mumbled very quickly. She brought her hands to her face and moaned quietly. She breathed. "Hullo, Al."