Filthy Little Secret - Draco x reader

24 - No one to owl

I woke up hours later in a little patch of grass next to the bar. I could barely move, everything in my body hurt. Luckily my legs had been spared, so I managed to get on my feet and stumble as far away from that bar as possible. My hands were covered in blood and bruises and tingled with every touch. My ribs ached and with every breath, my chest and throat were on fire. I had to go as soon as possible. I stumbled to the payphone next to the park and called a taxi to my house. I assumed it was Saturday morning. I had been unconscious all night. Lucky me that it was summer, I guess.

I went home and luckily, Margaret wasn't there and my dad was still asleep. I looked in the mirror and gasped. My face was completely covered in blood, my jaw, nose and right eye purple and swollen, my eye was red and irritated, I had a cut in my lip and cuts on my cheek. My nose was crooked and clearly bled a lot through the night. My hands were purple and my middle finger hurt like crazy. My neck was bruised as well, showing marks of fingers. I lifted up my shirt, only to see more bruises, some looking nearly black. Tears were streaming down my face. The sobs only made my throat hurt more. I couldn't use magic. I did not want to deal with the Ministry right now, not in this state. I dragged myself to my room and took my owl Y/O/N and my trunk. Carrying the trunk hurt, but I had to push through. I quickly drank some water to get rid of the taste of blood and took some cash. I took some painkillers that were lying around and forced myself to push through.

I wore an oversized jumper and pulled the hood over my head. I bandaged my right hand and looked down as I stepped into the taxi. "Charing Cross Road in London", I said and avoided the look of the taxi chauffeur. He brought me to the Leaky Cauldron and I paid. I had been there once, since it was the entrance to Diagon Alley, but never stayed there.

I walked up to the bar and booked a room. The woman seemed nice. She told me I was too young to book a room, but when I showed her my face and told her I had nowhere else to go, she gave me one anyway.

"Shall I owl someone?" she asked but I shook my head. There was no one to owl.

I fell down on the bed and immediately fell asleep, the headache making me extremely exhausted.

So here I am on a Sunday morning, lying in a bed at the Leaky Cauldron, not able to process what had happened. I did not have a dad anymore.

Even though I still have no letter from Draco, I need to write him. I need him to know that I wasn't going to look for him in the train and for what reason. With trembling and painful fingers, I take out a quill and some parchment and write him. He is probably still at home. The Hogwarts Express leaves tomorrow at 11AM. He'll go to Diagon Alley beforehand. I can't wait to see him and Diagon Alley is literally on the other side of my window, but I can't.

So I send that letter, take a shower, wrap my hands and clean the cuts. I go to bed and try to sleep. I wake up, put on layers of clothing, hiding all wounds, and make my way to King's Cross Station. I can't get my books. I don't have a vault of myself at Gringotts and I can't access my dad's without him being with me. I'll figure it out once at Hogwarts.

I'm the first one to arrive at the station, so I quickly hop in and choose the last compartment. Y/O/N came back just before I was going to leave, meaning that Draco wasn't far away. I pull my hood close and pretend to be asleep. I hear students coming in and talking about their holiday, but luckily, they leave me alone. And so I go to Hogwarts.

Once arrived, I wait until everyone has left before I do. I take the last carriage, pretending to read a book so I can keep my head down. Luckily I'm with a couple of third years that I don't recognize anyway. Once at the castle, I follow the stream to the Great Hall, but make a turn once we pass the Hospital wing. I need to see Madame Pomfrey. She can use magic and make me look normal again, right? I can pretend that it never happened.

When I come in she looks around confused.

"Excuse me, are you lost?" she asks. With trembling fingers I take of my hood and she gasps.

"Honey, what happened to you?" she asks in panic and runs over to me.

I shake my head, not wanting to talk about it.

She brings me to a hospital bed and I lie down on it. She pushes different spots and asks me whether it hurts or not, the answer being yes most of the times. She uses 'Episkey' to fix my broken nose, which hurts like hell, and gives me a potion that would help me sleep.

"Is there anyone I could get for you, dear?" she asks and I nod.

"Draco Malfoy."

When I wake up, I hear voices. Someone is holding my hand. It's night because when I try to open my eyes, it's still dark.

"She was abused headmaster. Three broken ribs, an internal bleeding, broken nose and broken eye socket. Cuts on her cheek and lip. And someone almost strangled her", I hear and gulp. Well that sounds nice.

"I'll have to talk to her when she wakes up, this is serious", Dumbledore says.

"I'm awake", I say. My voice is hoarse and I cough.

I blink a couple times until my eyes have adjusted to the darkness. I'm wearing a thick band around my neck and both hands are bandaged, as well as my chest.

"Mister Malfoy, I need you to leave for a second", I hear. I look down and Draco is sitting next to my bed, holding my hand. His head shoots up and looks at me.

"Oh Merlin, you're awake!" he says, his eyes full of worry and I can see tear stains on his cheeks. I smile slightly.

"You can visit her in the morning, but I need to talk to her right now", the headmaster says.

"I'm not leaving her, not a chance", Draco says and stands up. Dumbledore chuckles slightly.

"That's sweet, but if you want her to heal, you'll have to give us a chance to", he says.

"It's okay Dray, just go", I say and he looks conflicted. It's nice to know that he still cares. I guess his missing letters were just an accident.

He reluctantly leaves after giving me a kiss on my forehead and I smile.

"Young love, how beautiful", Dumbledore says and sits on the stool where Draco just sat.

"You're a good influence on the boy, Y/N", he says. It stays silent for a while.

"I need to know what happened miss Y/L/N", he says, but again, I stay silent. I don't want to talk about it. I just want to forget it ever happened.

"If you tell me, I can make sure it never happens again", he says. He has no control over that.

"If it's about your father, I can make sure you don't have to go back next time", he says and I look at him confused. Realising that I just gave him an affirmation, I sigh.

"My dad became an alcoholic. Drugs too I suppose. His new girlfriend is absolutely mad. She doesn't like me very much and... her friends helped her solve that", I say. "Whilst my dad was watching." Tears are streaming down my face, stinging in the wounds on my chin.

"Dear lord", madame Pomfrey says.

"Has this happened before?" Dumbledore asks and I shake my head, flinching at the pain it causes to my neck.

"It happened when my mum died two years ago. He went into a depression then, but has never been aggressive or alcoholic until now", I say.

"I'll handle that. I suppose you didn't get your new school books either? I believe to remember that you haven't signed up for any N.E.W.T. classes either?" he says and I shake my head.

"My dad wouldn't sign the paper", I say and Dumbledore nods.

"Come by my office when you're healthy again, I'll let Hagrid get your stuff", he says and walks out.