Belong (D.M)

Part fortysix

The new year came, turning 1997 into 1998. She went back to Hogwarts along with her sister, and suddenly all the lovely warmth she had felt from being home turned into coldness once more, for the Carrows still strutted around her beloved school and the dread of a war still clung to every particle in the air. 

Things seemed to have gotten worse as she arrived back, Luna was no longer here. The silvery blonde girl had been captured by Death Eaters from the Hogwarts Express. Neville seemed sadder than ever, and Ginny was mostly angry. 

She spent most of her time in her common room, reading books on healing magic. The library was empty nowadays, and all of the books written by muggleborn or halfblood witches and wizards had been burned, leaving the hollow shelves to collect dust.

Most days he was sat in the back of his common room in the dungeons, reading books about Alchemy to pass the time. Alchemy had become his favourite subject, and he found all the elements of it rather interesting. There was something about the class that acted as a distraction for him, it gave him a chance to escape his heinous weekdays.

One day he found himself alone on the first floor, heading back from the library when he heard his name being called out.

"Draco"

 He had just loaned a heavy book about Alchemy, and he quickly slipped it into his black leather book bag before he turned around.

"Rebecka hi, are you alright?"

"Uhm yes" the brown haired girl said, glancing around them "is Ellie alright? She seems kinda down"

"Oh yeah well..." he said, feeling guilt rack up inside of him "her friend has been abducted"

"Oh Luna Lovegood? I heard" Rebecka said sadly, taking a step closer to him "I thought she might be upset about that so I asked her but she just said that she's fine, even though she doesn't seem fine to me, I just thought that she might have said something to you?"

"No she hasn't" he said, shaking his head "but I'm sure she will be fine Rebecka, she's a strong girl"

"I know, I just worry" Rebecka said, smiling slightly at him "I should go before the Carrows come along here, but thanks Draco"

"Anytime Rebecka"

He watched as the young brown haired girl turned on her heel and walked off, heading towards the Gryffindor tower. He sighed, trying to shake the guilt from his chest before he headed down the stairs towards the cold dungeon. It's always at it's most freezing peak during December and January.

....

The next day in Alchemy class he sent her a note, and she looked at the piece of parchment with confused eyes as she unfolded it.

Ellie,
Are you alright my love?
You seem concerned and upset.
Yours, 
DM

She sighed, tucking her brown hair behind her ears as she ripped a piece of her own parchment to write him a note back. And as their Alchemy professor turned away from them to write something on the blackboard, she threw the note to him. She watched discretely as he unfolded the small piece of parchment, letting his bright eyes scan over it. Her handwriting wasn't as neat and perfect as his, she knew it.

Draco, 
Of course I'm upset and concerned, I believe you know why. 
But I will be alright I suppose, I have to be alright. 
I just hope she is too.

Yours,
Ellie

Class ended, and everyone began gathering their books and other supplies as he slipped over to her quickly.

"Meet me in our classroom" he whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine. He quickly disappeared, she watched as he turned the corner with his black leather book bag hung around his right shoulder. She followed him, dragging her feet along the stone floor. She found the heavy wooden door to the abandoned classroom that held so many memories of theirs, and she quickly slipped in, making sure to not be seen by anyone.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

"Your note" he sighed, holding the small piece of parchment up between his index and middle finger "I just hope she is too, you're talking about Luna?"

"Of course I'm talking about Luna, your people took her"

"My people?" he asked, seemingly hurt.

"I'm sorry, that came out wrong" she mumbled, taking a step closer to him "but you know what I mean"

"I know" he breathed, turning his head to look away as he slipped the note back into the left pocket of his Slytherin robes.

"Is she at your house?" she asked, grabbing a hold of his arm "have you seen her?"

"No sorry I haven't" he said, shaking his head "but she might be there, we have these dungeon like things in our basement, we never used them for anything other than storage of old paintings and such but he... might use them you know"

"Oh" she mumbled, leaning her back against a old dusty wooden desk "I see"

"I'm sorry Ellie, I wish I knew more" he mumbled, looking at her with grief in his bright eyes "they don't really tell me much"

"It's alright Draco" she assured him, stroking his cheek "I just wish there was a way for me to help her"

"I'm so sorry about all of this Ellie"

"It's not your fault Draco"

He heard the words she spoke but he couldn't help like feeling that it was actually, after all, partly his fault. He had made all the wrong choices, all but one. She was his one right choice, his one good thing in life.