Draco Malfoy's Perspective

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The next meal Draco skipped, Violet filled two plates with food, took two sets of utensils, and looked menacingly at Crabbe. "Tell me where he really is."

"Why should I?" he mumbled around a mouthful of chicken.

"Because otherwise, I'll put one of these plates down your back so that I can reach my wand. Do you really want me to get my wand out, Crabbe?"

"I'm not scared of any Muggleborn."

"Alright then. You asked for it." She started to shift to put the plate of food down the back of his robes and he jumped away from her.

"Alright, alright! Dormitory! Lay off!"

She grinned and walked out. Hopefully their food would still be warm when she got there.

At the door she paused. Her necklace was growing warm. Ah. He had skipped to talk to someone.

"The date is set. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Mother."

Narcissa. Less scary, but still dangerous. But her necklace was barely even warm. Just enough that it had stopped her. Oh. She wasn't truly evil. Thank you Vincent.

"Good. And the girl? Violet? What does she know?"

"Nothing. I told her not a word."

Violet rolled her eyes.

"Her parents were our friends during the first war. It's alright for you to confide in her if you wish."

"I don't." His voice was quieter this time.

"But if you do. Goodbye, Draco. I won't get to speak to you again until after, so be strong. He needs to die for the Dark Lord to rule. This is your calling. It is your destiny."

Violet curled her lips in disgust. How dare his mother say those things to him.

The light faded away until the fire's glow was normal again, and Violet waited a few seconds before marching into the room as if she hadn't heard. "You're not skipping any meals anymore," she announced before seeing that he was shaking. Not just his shoulders; his entire body was quivering like he was cold.

Immediately she put the plates down and got on her knees beside him. "Draco, what do you need? I'll do anything."

He looked slowly up at her. "Were your parents truly Death Eaters?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you left?"

"No." She shook her head. "I left because they lied to me, and I couldn't trust them."

He nodded slowly. "I haven't lied to you. Not once."

"I know."

"I'm going to tell you something, and I need you not to react while I'm here. I'll go as soon as I say it, but please wait for me to be gone to react."

She nodded. He lifted her hand lightly in his own, as if he were escorting her somewhere fancy, and they rose. He led her to a chair and gestured for her to sit, while he stood.

"In the attack, which will happen exactly three nights from now, I'm going to do something awful. It'll make you hate me. But I don't have a choice." His next words were so quiet she wouldn't have understood them if she didn't know what he was going to say. "I'm going to kill Professor Dumbledore."

After the last word had passed his lips he turned around and began walking to the boys' hall. Violet leaped from her chair and grabbed his wrist; he froze.

"I'm not reacting," she said. Finally. He'd finally confided in her. The relief was overwhelming. "And you're not missing dinner."

He took in her blank gaze and offer curiously. He had not been expecting this. With one tug on his wrist he was moving toward the table that she'd set the plates down on, but he was still staring at her.

They began to eat, albeit somewhat slowly. It was silent for a while, until Violet spoke up. "You talk in your sleep."

He nearly choked. "What?"

"The day I made you come back here to rest, and I followed you, I stayed until you were asleep. And you talked."

"And what did I say?" He held his breath, trying to still his now racing heart.

"Everything. You talked about how you had to kill Dumbledore, and the repercussions if you didn't."

He set down his fork, taking long, slow breaths. "You knew? While you were helping me with the cabinet, you knew?"

"Yes."

The shaking had started again. Apparently she'd caught him at a very vulnerable moment. "Draco–"

"Weeks. It's been weeks. I-I couldn't see it–I must be stupid not to have seen it!"

She sat beside him. He seemed not to notice. "To see what?"

"You hate me. Oh Merlin, you hate me. This is exactly why I never...why are you still here?" Tears rolled down his face. "How are you sitting so close to me? You must be revolted. You must hate me. I'd hate me. I'd be so revolted I'd curse myself incapable of doing it."

"Draco, I am not revolted by you." She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved he was opening up to her, or crushed that this was what he thought daily. "I will never hate you. I won't curse you."

"Liar. You've always been such a great liar. I admire you for it. I'm a monster, and you're trying to make me feel better."

She grabbed his chin and pulled his head around to look her in the eye. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, you are no monster. Say that again and I'll hex the word out of your vocabulary."

He fell silent, but there were still tears on his cheeks and his entire body was still trembling. What was she supposed to do now? How could she help him?

"Three nights from now something very big will happen," she said. "And it is your decision on how the night will end. Do what you think is best. I will support you." The shaking ceased. He was too confused to be scared. "I don't care whether you choose to do it or not. I'll be standing behind you."

"Why would you offer that?" he whispered.

"Because I care about you, and I believe that if you do what you think is right, then we can deal with any repercussions."

She'd barely gotten the last word out before he'd leaned down and kissed her. His hands were on either side of her head, holding her close to him. She didn't have time to pull away before she realised that she liked this.

He let go of her the instant his mind caught up to what he was doing, and tried to apologise, but she just pressed her mouth back to his, tugging him down closer with her hands in his hair.

It was she who ended it, and she smiled, panting. "Draco, I think we've hit a milestone today."

He smirked. "Thank you, Vi. Thank you." He kissed her forehead and let her go. She smiled at him and pulled her plate over to continue eating by his side.