Beautiful Shards (A Drarry Fanfic)

Chapter 29: Midnight Rendezvous

Draco's POV

After my run-in with Will in the hallway I rushed to class, hoping I'd be able to slip in without receiving a detention. Fortunately, I had always done well and shown an interest in Arithmancy, which had earned the professor's favor, which, I'm almost certain, is the reason professor Vector said nothing when I crept to a seat in the back, though I know she noticed. I sighed in relief, knowing being punished for my tardiness was one less thing for me to worry about.

As the lesson droned on-- something about the symbolism of the number seven-- I retrieved my notes from my bag, also taking out a quill and a pot of ink to copy down anything I needed for today's lesson. As I did, I noticed a small slip of parchment fall from between the pages of one of my books and flutter to the ground. Picking it up, I turned it over and read what was written in neat, sharp handwriting.

Room of Requirements, midnight.

~W. F.

My breath hitched in my throat and I could feel all the blood leave my face. I had been right to assume that Will wasn't done with me. I'd never wished to be wrong more than I did in that moment.

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My remaining two classes that day had passed by in a blur, the note from Will never leaving my mind. Harry was in both Potions and Herbology with me, and he obviously noticed my distractedness, constantly looking over to see if I was paying attention and if I was alright. His concern was evident, but I didn't tell him about the encounter in the corridor, nor the rendezvous in the RoR. I had a feeling doing so would only make things worse, though for whom I wasn't sure. I didn't like the fact that Will knew about my feelings for Harry, and I was afraid those very same feelings would be putting him in danger if I didn't comply with whatever demands Will made.

Far too soon I was packing up my belongings and accompanying Harry back to our dorm, still lost inside my head, the silence stretching between us until the other boy could no longer take it.

"Okay look," he began, then paused, choosing his next words, "you've been...off ever since our separate block. What's the matter?"

"Wha- huh? Oh, nothing! I've just, er, y'know, been thinking about, um, all of the homework I've got tonight!" I'd always been a rubbish liar. "I've got loads to do for Arithmancy." I chuckled, but I knew he didn't believe me, not for a second.

"Oh, rubbish! You're a terrible liar, you know that?" I looked down sheepishly as he continued. "Come on, talk to me. What's got you all spacey like that? You've barely noticed a thing in the past two hours."

There was no lying my way out this time. He could see right through me. "I'll tell you tomorrow, alright? I just- I can't tell you right now. It's not that I don't trust you! I do," I hurried to reassure him when a hurt expression flashed across his face. "I just have to sort things out first. Alright?" He nodded, but my brief not-quite explanation seemed to have only increased his worry. Honestly, I didn't blame him; I was worried too. I'd bought myself a bit of time, but I wasn't sure that would be enough. Maybe I couldn't tell him tomorrow, of next week, or ever. If it took lying straight to his face to keep him out of Will's line of fire I would, but it would kill me to keep Harry in the dark when he was so clearly concerned for me.

When we arrived at our room we tossed our satchels to the floor and both sighed in relief to be done with lessons for today. Harry grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants from his trunk and went to change in the bathroom, but I didn't bother. I hadn't yet decided whether to wear what I had on now-- my regular black trousers, white button-down shirt, green and silver tie, and black robes-- or dress in something more casual for the meeting in the Room of Requirements. Instead, I went over to my bed and flopped dramatically backwards, my arms flung out to the sides. My eyes fluttered closed and my thoughts drifted, carrying me off with them. Like an ocean, my imagination rose and fell and rocked and thrashed, slamming me against jagged rocks of possibilities and scenarios, each worse than the last, but all of them manageable. There wasn't that much Will could really do to me (right?), and I knew how to manage, how to do what I had to do to survive. I also knew, however, that he wasn't above hurting people physically, mentally or emotionally. I may not have interacted with him personally before, but I'd seen and heard things. I'd heard enough. He would have made a great dark wizard if he only had some kind of goal in mind. He seemed more interested in targeting individuals than ruling the free world.