WITHDRAWAL. draco malfoy

ix. dream in a dream

« DREAM IN A DREAM »

Adrenaline was rushing in Lillian's body as she followed Draco inside the castle, not even noticing she was in the Clock Tower, which was quite unusual since it didn't lead to the Slytherin's Dungeons.

"Draco!" Lillian half-shouted, causing him to turn around with his eyes opened wide.

"You were following me?!" Draco snapped quite harshly.

"I need to know something. W—Why would you try to curse Dumbledore?"

"Why does it matter to you what I am up to now, uh?!"

Lillian stood still, Draco's eyes locked so strongly on her it was impossible for her to look away, yet his cold stare was painful as he seemed so different and completely detached from everything and everyone around.

"Answer me." Draco ordered slowly, pausing between each word.

"This is not you, Draco, I want to know why." Lillian whispered.

These few words triggered something in the pale boy, his eyes softening on the girl in front of him, as he looked down for a split second before returning his attention to Lillian.

"You can't stay here. You can't talk to me, it—it's not possible. Do you understand?" Draco said as he started to turn around.

Lillian ran and blocked the way, "No! No, I don't understand, Draco, I don't even know what you're talking about!"

"We can't be seen together! You have to stop... stop looking at me, stop coming near me, just we can't be around at the same time or—or.."

"Or what?" Lillian asked softly, hoping he would say something about missing what had happened the year before.

"You really can't take your hands off of him, can you?!" A voice shouted behind Draco in the dark.

Under normal circumstances, Lillian probably would have been able to say who it was but she had been so focused on what Draco wanted to tell her that she barely registered someone interupting them as a wand was already pointed in her direction.

Draco turned around, his emotions mixed between anger and frustration, not believing he could not have a second all for himself without being cut off. And before he could say anything, a spell was fired at Lillian.

"Expulso!"

A very strong blue light hit Lillian like a truck as she flew high in the air, landing on the other side of the tower, half-unconscious.

+ + +

"Sweetie, sweetie, wake up."

Lillian crunched her nose as she found it difficult to open her eyes, let alone adjust to the low lighting, and breathed in deeply as she was met with a familiar face.

"Mum?"

Looking all around her, the teenager quickly recognised her bedroom as her mother was sitting on the side of her bed with a small smile drawn on her lips.

"Why did you wake me up?" Lillian asked again, rubbing her eyes.

"It's time, darling."

Ellen swiftly stood up and walked towards the door, opening it then disappearing down the dark hallway as if under some sort of spell, Lillian having a hard time understanding what was actually going on.

"Time? Time for what, mum?"

She followed after her —even if she was already long gone somewhere else in the house, and it felt as if she needed to run twice longer to end up in the living room.