The Healer- A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 20

"Erica. You've changed your hair again."

Penny gawked at my hair at dinner in the Great Hall. Over the break, I had removed the enchantment from my hair that made it that dirty blonde, and had returned it to its natural walnut brown. The same color as my father's.

"Yeah," I replied, "I decided I liked it better this way. Besides, the enchantment was beginning to wear off."

Penny made a face of uncertainty. "I liked it better before."

"Happy belated birthday, by the way," Greta chimed in from across the table. "I got a gift for you. Ordered it in the mail."

"I chipped in," Evelyn added, elbowing Greta to include her.

I thanked Greta and Evelyn shyly. I didn't know that any of my friends remembered my birthday was over the Christmas break. Even though I had spent the day helping my parents pack up the house for their move to America, it was the best birthday I had ever had.

My eyes scanned the hall for any sign of Draco. I had made my decision; I would tell him about my squib father, and if he accepted it, we could be together. I kept anticipating his arrival on the edge of my seat. Nerves made it difficult for me to stomach any food, or even hold my utensils without trembling. But he didn't appear for the entire meal.

Uncertain when I would run into him again, I decided to seek him out after dinner. Not seeing him for two weeks had left me with this intense longing. I brought out his cloak sometimes over the break just to be able to smell his cologne. But the real thing... the real thing was so much better.

After looking around the Slytherin common room, I summoned the courage to knock on his door. No one was in there, it seemed. I was about to go back to my room when I realized there was another place I could look.

I silently moved through the halls to the 7th floor. Night had fallen early tonight, making the corridors creepy and dark. I recalled the location of the Room of Requirement and went to it, only to be shocked by a Hufflepuff 4th year standing right outside the entrance, playing with some kind of ball.

I continued walking, giving up on the idea of entering the room for fear of being reported by her. But as I walked past, my eye got caught on a bit of teal that peeked out from under her robes.

That... looks like my shirt. I shook my head. It was just a coincidence that the girl had my exact same shirt that I had left in Draco's room. Huge coincidence. There was no way that Draco gave this girl my clothes...

I was just about to loop around to head back down to the basement when the girl spoke.

"Erica?" she said in a small, uncertain voice. I turned around, and the girl's eyes were alight with recognition.

"I thought that was you," she beckoned me to come forward, carefully balancing the ball in one hand.

"Do we know each other?" I said accusingly. The girl leaned in, glancing over her shoulder once to make sure we were alone.

"It's Crabbe," she whispered. "I've drank polyjuice potion."

I blinked, grasping the idea that the small, unnoticeable girl before me was actually Crabbe in disguise. At least I had an answer now about what Draco was using my clothes for.

"Why are you out here?" I whispered.

"I'm keeping watch for Draco."

I glanced back at the empty wall. Draco was inside of the room right now. I could see him, finally.

"I wouldn't go in there," the little girl Crabbe warned, but I was already pacing before the door, urging for it to reveal itself to me. When I turned around, the doors had appeared.