Falling Hard (Book 1)

Chapter 17

Once Dumbledore's body had been removed from beneath the tower, a private burrial was held, however none of the students were allowed to go.

Myself, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny all stayed at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower until everyone left.

"I'm so sorry..." I said to them all and everyone nodded. "I had no idea"

"It's not your fault" Hermione said, and she gave me a hug.

Then, everyone else joined in.

Afterwards, we made our way inside the school, where everywhere was dark, and the atmosphere was tense. We all made our way to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"What was it you saw Harry?" Hermione asked, and we all looked at him.

"It was me aswell, I followed Draco and the group from the dungeons, but I honestly had no idea that it was going to end like that" I said, and Ron gave me a reassuring smile.

"I saw Dumbledore get killed..." Harry started. "By Professor Snape"

After a while of talking, we went to the dorm rooms to get some sleep for tomorrow. When I walked into the dorm that I was sharing with Hermione, I noticed Harold sitting on my headboard. He had a note.

I took the note from his beak, and opened it:

I'll always love you.
I'll see you soon

All my love,
Draco x

I kept reading the note, over and over again, before drifting off to sleep.

--Draco's POV--

"Mother! You have to let me go back to Noelle!" I sobbed as we reached the gates of Malfoy Mannor.

"Draco, you can't. You were there when Albus was killed, and no doubt that Harry Potter and his friends will know. What is so important about this girl?" my mother said, releasing my hand as soon as the gates were closed.

"I love her. She was my girlfriend" I said, realising that our relationship had ended.

"You speak as if the relationship is over" my mother said, looking at me.

"It is, I had to end it. Why do you think that I didn't want to say goodbye? It had to be over, so that she remained out of danger" I said and my mother sighed.

I walked over to one of the black sofas in the open living area, and sat down and put my head in my hands.

"Why is she so important?" mother asked, sitting beside me.

"She gave up everything to be with me. She gave up her friends, she didn't go home at Christmas because she wanted to spend it with me, and I wanted to spend it with her. She persuaded McGonagal to let her change houses so that we could be together. She changed herself and became one of us, mother, and now she's gone" I said, and then I let out a huge sigh.

My mother rubbed circles on my back, and then sighed herself. Then, she stood up.

"Write to her" she said. "Tell her that you'll always love her, and that you will see her soon"

So, that's what I did.

Then, I sent off the note and went up to my bedroom. I sat on the edge of my bed, and put my head in my hands. What had I done?

--Noelle's POV--

The next morning, I woke up and saw Draco's note. I grabbed some parchment and scribbled a quick note back:

I'll always love you as well.
Don't become a stranger Draco, I need you.

Always,
Noelle

I sent Harold on his way with my note and changed into a burgandy, knee-length, spaghetti strapped dress, and black tights, with my black flat slip ons. I brushed through my knotty hair and put it in a high ponytail.

Once I'd finished, I went down the steps and saw that Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry were sat around the fire.

"Ginny wait here, guys I need to talk to you" Harry said, and we followed him out of the common room.

We went outside towards the Astronomy Tower. It was warm out, so I'm glad that I decided to wear a dress today, otherwise I would have been way too warm.

We climbed all of the steps, up to the balcony of the Astronomy Tower, in the exact spot as Albus Dumbledore stood. Harry leaned on the metal fence guarding the edge of the balcony. Ron and Hermione stood together, and I sat on the top step, looking around me.

"I'm not coming back next year" Harry said, after a while, and we all gathered around the balcony.

"Harry..." Hermione said, but Harry was having none of it.

"I have to finish what Dumbledore started. I have to find this horcruxes" Harry said and Hermione laughed.

"And do you really think your friends are going to let you do it alone?" Hermione said, and then we all held hands at the top of the Astronomy Tower, in memory of the Headmaster.