Marked ⁂ Draco Malfoy ⁂

Year 6: Complicated

I woke in my own bed just as the sun was rising. I sat up in bed with a small pain in my forehead, but with everything that happened I wasn't surprised. I saw that Zara was up and awake. She was at her desk packing up what seemed to be her book for classes.

"Morning." She said in a small voice.

"Morning." I said back flatly.

We hadn't exchanged many words other than in passing, but it wasn't this awkward. She continued to pack her things but didn't give me any further discussion past that. Her eyes however kept wondering over to me awkwardly and I only wondered what she had thought of what had happened.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about what happened. I hope you're okay." She said finally cutting the awkward silence.

"I'm alright. Just bruised up." I said with a small smile. "Thank you."

"He's come in almost every hour to check on you." She said looking away. "I haven't seen him like that before."

"Draco?" I asked assuming that's who she was talking about.

"Yeah, I haven't seen him so... Human." She said shrugging. "He seems to really care about you."

"He's got a tough exterior, tougher than most." I said laughing softly. "He's a good guy when he wants to be."

"I hate asking because it's not my place, but are you guys like a thing?" She asked and I let a small smile pass my lips.

"I don't think it was ever formally agreed upon but I think so." I said and she nodded wearing a small smile.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be asking. We're not personal like that I'm just being nosey." She said shaking her head.

"It's okay, we're roommates. I can't live in silence." I said truthfully.

"I know but if you don't want friends we don't have to be, I get it." She said in a very honest tone.

"It was never that I didn't want to be friends Zara, it's just that I couldn't. It's hard to explain and I don't think I'll every be able to tell you why, but to put it simply it was for both of our sakes. Trouble follows me, clearly." I said shaking my head and looking away.

"Whatever happened to you last week wasn't your fault, surely you know that." She said crossing her arms.

"I suppose, but trouble follows me like a lost puppy. You know what happened to Cedric." I said sadly.

"You cannot blame yourself. He put his name in the goblet and You Know Who was responsible for his death. That had nothing to do with you." She said stepping closer.

"People I care about get hurt whether it's directly my fault or not." I said seriously. "Like I said I don't expect you to understand, but I did what I had to do."

"Well we still care about you. When Luna and Neville found you they were a mess. We had thought you died." She said firmly.

"I was close to death, but I was lucky." I said. "I still care about all of you I just can't get close. I wish I could, I miss it more than almost anything else, but it just has to be this way."

"I get it." She said I truthfully think she did. "I just miss you. I miss Blaise too, but I at least understand why you can't."

"Blaise is just different. I don't quite understand him either, but with everything changing we change with it I suppose." I said. "I know he misses you though. It has nothing to do with you."

"Listen I won't press anymore, but could we just be like this? Casual roommates I guess. We don't have to be friends outside this door if you don't want to, but I miss having you to talk to." She said shrugging on her back pack of books. "After what happened with Cedric, then Katie, now you... I'm just scared to lose people I guess. If I could keep you as a roommate it would make me feel a lot better."