Bad Influence

CHAPTER 5 "You almost sounded like you cared."

CHAPTER 5 "You almost sounded like you cared."

Willow POV

I never thought I would be happy to get back to Hogwarts but in truth I really was, I had spent Christmas break at various Dark Lord meetings and Death Eater parties I was punished by The Dark Lord and my Father for not keeping a better eye on Draco, after he cursed Katie Bell with the necklace and failed to kill Dumbledore, suspicions were starting to raise and the pressure was on more than ever. Draco avoided me at every meeting, he wouldn't even look at me, his face black and blue I guess from his own punishments.

I walk into Defence Against the Dark Arts and snape points me to a seat right next to Draco.

"I think its time you two learnt how to work together." He snarled.

The class didn't know what he was talking about but both Draco and I knew exactly what he meant. Draco looked thinner, his hair hung in front of his eyes and he sat fiddling with his quill. I nudged his arm with mine and gave him a smile. I got nothing in return. Why was I sent here to babysit this wimp? If he doesn't sort it out he's going to get us both killed. At the end of class I grab Draco's arm and push him under the stairwell.

"You need to snap out of this Draco, you look like shit, you're walking around feeling sorry for yourself, isolating everyone, you're going to get yourself killed. What happened to the arrogant Draco I met at your house? He was much more fun than this!"

Draco looks at me his silver eyes wide and burst out into laughter, normally I would me fuming with someone laughing in my face like this, but it was good to see him smile.

"Careful Grayling, you almost sounded like you cared." He chuckles.

"Well maybe I do!" I snap.

Draco eyes me carefully taking in what I just said, has no one ever cared for him before? I'm not sure anyone has cared for me either.

"Come with me." He says cutting the awkward silence.

He walks me through the empty Slytherin common room and into his Dorm, luckily no one is around to see us. I don't quite understand what he's doing but I follow him anyway.

"Do you really want to know what's wrong?"

I nod sitting down on his bed, Draco remains standing with his back leaning on the wall.

"I'm scared Grayling, in fact I'm terrified. I watch you every day, smiling acting like everything is fine. I watch you face the Dark Lord and you don't even shake how do you do that?" His voice crackles as tears roll down his face.

"How am I meant to do this if I cant even kill Dumbledore, if I cant even get a fucking cabinet to work properly, I nearly killed Katie Bell for fuck sake and its tearing me apart! I'm going to die; I know he's going to kill me." Draco's shouting now and trashing his room, in fact he's even scaring me a bit. I knew he was scared but I had no idea it was this bad, I leap up from his bed and push Draco against the wall, he's strong but I manage to calm him down.

Our eyes lock as I push my body on his holding him up, he's a lot taller than me I'd never really noticed before and he smells like Vanilla and Apple, I blush at the memory of potions class. We stand there for a few minutes just staring at each other and I raise my hands and wipe the tears from his cheeks.

"Sit." I say calmly.

Draco listens and sits on the edge of the bed still gazing at me, I sit beside him and lift my sleeves up revealing my arms I take out my wand and with one flick the scars on my arms are revealed, surrounding my Dark Mark.

His mouth drops open at the site of the scars, I do not blame him they're terrible.

"I have them everywhere." I whisper.

He looks at me confused.

"Your father did this?" He says disgusted

"You see Draco, I'm scared too, the only difference is I've experienced pain and fear since I was born. I'm used to it now. You are not the only one without a choice. You got to come here and make memories and friends and as much as you don't want to admit it your father would die for you whereas mine would just hand me over to Voldemort."

Draco's looking at me now more intense than before his eyes dancing with mine, he pulls me into his chest I let out a small gasp as he wraps his arms around me tight, we stay like that for a while just enjoying the silence. Blaise burst through the door and we jump apart from each other awkwardly.

"Working your way round Slytherin Greyling?" Blaise hisses.

We hadn't spoke since the night of Slughorns party, he avoided me at every chance he got. It took didn't event take me twenty-four hours to stop caring. Draco stands up to Blaise pressing his wand under his chin.

"You do not speak to her like that, is that clear Zabini?"

Zabini nods sheepishly. Not taking his eyes of off Draco who has an angry look on his face. I clear my throat and stand up collecting my things, I'm not a fan of this school drama.

"I better go." I mutter interrupting the feud and I head for my dorm.