What the Room Requires

Chapter Six

 

VVVV

DRACO

 

            I don’t know why I told her all that rubbish. I mean, it was true—but why did she need to know that? I knocked the willow curtain out of the way and re-entered the quiet, still, grassy room. I stopped, and raked my hands through my hair. I felt rattled, light-headed, like I was breathing too quickly.

            I scowled at the pile of books, then kicked it over and sat down hard by the tilting clock. I rubbed my eyes, my face, then fell down onto my back. I clenched my fists and pounded the ground. They made a dull thud, because the grass was so thick. I gritted my teeth as hard as I could and squeezed my eyes shut.

            Granger was busy studying, experimenting, observing and fiddling with this magic, using all of her over-achieving mind to figure a way out of this place. She was a bulldog—she wouldn’t give it up until she figured this room out. And I, on the other hand, was using all my power to keep from thinking. To keep from remembering the sight of blood all over my hands as my father smiled down at me—

            I stood up, sucking in deep breaths, and paced away from that spot. No. No, I wouldn’t let this do this to me. I would not allow this blasted Room to get in here. I wouldn’t let those nightmares weasel their way into my waking thoughts—

            Granger had seen all that. All that, in my house. All that begging and bleeding and groveling. All the twisted dysfunction that made up my family. I knew she had—I could tell by the disgustingly-pitying way she looked at me now. And I hadn’t been helping the situation. I’d been acting like a baby ever since that incident—arguing about Santa Claus and fretting about whether or not I was alone in here, and breaking down and sobbing like a two-year-old. In front of her. I snorted. What was I, a Malfoy or a Weasley?

            I had to harden myself. It was easily done, if I had time and will enough to do it. And I would. I had to. I would be ruined, otherwise.

            The wind rustled. I glanced through a space in the long, thin branches. Odd. Was the sky getting darker? I scowled. I wasn’t going out there to find out. Granger could do whatever fool thing she wanted out there with the nightmares and spooks. Nothing would make me leave this tree.

VVVV

DRACO