Desolation Row | A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 4

It was a week after Draco and I had argued and he hadn't so much as looked in my direction since. We had never argued before, so this was new for both of us and I didn't like it. Usually when I was feeling like this I could talk to someone, to Draco. This time it was different, this time I had no one and this time neither did he. Draco being alone worried me. I kept thinking about what he said "I am going to complete it." and I kept wondering what it might be he was asked to do, hating myself for not being able to help, hating myself for arguing with him and hating myself for bringing up Lucius.

Today was no different to the way my last week had been. I was sat, alone, in an armchair by the fire in the Slytherin common room, surrounded by teetering piles of books. Currently, I was doing my Arithmancy homework and had a complicated number chart spread out before me. I had my quill between my teeth as I pondered the chart before taking it out and scribbling some notes. In another corner of the common room, Draco was lazing on an armchair, surrounded by Slytherins of all years, listening to some amazing story or other of his. Leaning against the back of the chair, giggling falsely at Draco's words with her arms wrapped around his neck was Pansy. Usually, I'd be there, at his side, as he told his stories and my heart throbbed as I thought about what I had lost. Turning my attention away from him, I continued with my Arithmancy homework and tried my hardest not to think about Draco. What I didn't see when I looked away, however, was the longing in his eyes as he glanced over at me, I missed the fact that inside, Draco was feeling just the same as I was.
       After finishing my homework, I piled all of my books up and headed, with legs like lead, up to my dorm room, glancing back at Draco and feeling a pang in my heart. Once inside the dormitory, I dropped the heavy pile of books onto the chair beside my bed and changed quickly before climbing into bed. I twitched the curtains slightly to block out a ray of moonlight and pulled Buchanan close to my chest. At the moment, my fat cat was all I had, my sister was never in the Common Room, spending all her time with a Ravenclaw girl, Deryn Kent and her fourth-year (also Ravenclaw) brother Llewellyn, in the library and my brother spent all his time in the Owlery with a Hufflepuff boy called Tyler O'Sullivan so I rarely saw either of them. Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle spent all of their time with Draco, with the three of them even being a little off with me. I buried my face in Buchanan's fur, silent tears falling and matting his white fur but he didn't care, he let it happen and stayed curled up in my arms until I fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning, my eyes red and puffy and Buchanan still trapped in my arms. Sunlight was streaming through the window, telling me that I needed to get up. Slowly, I extracted myself from the warmth of my bed and began to dress in order to head down to breakfast. 
       After dressing myself and making my bed, I headed out of the Common Room and up from the dungeons towards the Great Hall. My stomach was rumbling and for the first time this week, I was actually looking forward to leaving the Common Room. Double Transfiguration was my first and second period today and despite enjoying the subject I was not prepared to spend two hours hearing Pansy Parkinson drool over Draco and making fun of me, ensuring that she did so with enough volume so that I could hear. 
       I sat down at the Slytherin table, knowing that I wouldn't get a good morning from anyone, knowing that no one would so much as acknowledge my existence, except the smile I got from my sister from down the table and I glumly picked at my food. Despite my earlier hunger, I could not be more relieved when the bell signalling our first lesson rang. I blended in with the enormity of the crowd that was students making their way to their lessons and traipsed towards the Transfiguration classroom, sitting myself down heavily at my assigned seat when I got there and sighing loudly as I put my bag on the chair beside me to ensure no one sat beside me all lesson - not that anyone would. 
       Ten minutes later, the whole class had filed in and Professor McGonagall was reprimanding those who were late before turning to the board to explain what we were doing today. I drifted off slightly before being brought back to reality by the sharp mention of my name. At first I believed Professor McGonagall had called upon me for an answer and I had not heard but then I realised that, in actual fact, it was just Pansy, making fun of me like usual. 
"But honestly Draco, why were you ever even friends with Ophelia?" She demanded, one hand resting on Draco's thigh - I tensed. "Honestly, she was so annoying just constantly 'D-d-d-d-Draco, l-l-l-l-love me-me-me'. For God's sake, I'm jealous of her dead mother, imagine having to live with her!"
I felt my face burn as Pansy cackled, Draco, however, cracked only a small, weak smile. He was looking more tired than ever now, tired as though he wasn't getting any sleep at all and it worried me but I couldn't do anything. I kept my head down for the rest of the lesson, attempting to ignore the comments being made by Pansy about me and my mother. At least that was until she commented on Edward. 
"And what's up with that little brother of hers? His brain clearly doesn't work in the same way ours does, he needs to carry around that stupid piece of string that he plays with every time something scares him and he spends all his time with that Hufflepuff boy, Tyler O'Sullivan. I bet he's just gay and he's just trying to hide the fact that he's dating that Hufflepuff. The thought of a man being with another man is disgusting anyway but even more so when it's someone like him."
That was it. I could deal with Pansy saying things about me, I could even deal with her saying things about my mother but as soon as anyone said anything about Madeleine or Edward there was no way I was keeping my temper. 
"E-ex-cuse me?!" I yelled, standing up suddenly. "P-pansy, wh-what di-did you j-just s-say abou-bout my broth-ther?"
Professor McGonagall had whipped around as soon as I stood up, hearing the commotion. Just as she turned around, Pansy stood up too and screeched back at me. 
"You know what, Avondale? Your whole family are freaks! Your dead mother, your weirdo father, you and your pathetic stutter and your twins. Your sister and her freakish love for books and your brother. Where do I even begin with your brother? The gay of the family whose brain doesn't even work properly?"
Everyone was dead silent. I took in a deep breath. 
"J-just b-because M-mads w-wants to-to l-learn d-doesn't m-m-make h-her a f-freak and wh-why do y-you c-care wh-what Ed's sex-sexuality-ty is?" I took a deep breath in again, the same frustration running through me as the day me and Draco argued and my voice deepened as I growled at Pansy through my teeth. "And I swear to god, if I hear you talk about my brother's Asperger's Syndrome like that ever again, you've got another thing coming."
I collapsed back into my seat again and took a deep breath, everyone was stunned, even Pansy was speechless and it took me a while before I realised why. It was like when I was with Draco - I hadn't stuttered once. Draco was leaning back in his seat, one elbow on the table, his forehead resting on his fingers. With his other hand, he reached up to grab Pansy's sleeve. 
"Shut the hell up, Pansy." he growled, still sounding tired as ever. "And sit the hell down."
       The two hours finally came to an end and the bell signifying a break rang sharply. 
"Ophelia?" Came McGonagall's voice from her desk as I went to leave the room. "A word?"
I headed over to her desk, my cheeks tinged red and my head held down - I knew what was coming. 
"I don't know what to say about what happened in my lesson just now." There was a sharpness to her voice. "There will be 50 points removed from Slytherin for the disgusting actions of Miss Parkinson, however, I will be rewarding you with 20 points to Slytherin for the way you handled it. I was thoroughly impressed, Miss Avondale and I have had words with Professor Snape about the further punishment of Miss Parkinson and he has asked that you visit him this break time."
I was shocked but nodded and made my way out the door. 
"Thank you, Professor."