Draco, darling

10.

"During the three hours you will spend here, I expect you to organize by order every single potions on this table," said Professor Dossi in a cold and emotionless voice. "You will be carful and try not to break anything. Do you understand me?"

Meli and Draco nodded in unison. The teacher left them alone in utter silence. Meli slowly reached out to the desk in front of them. She would not talk. That's what she told herself before coming here.

She thought he wouldn't want to discuss what happened either but apparently he did.

"Meli I-" he started. The girl turned her head carfuly to meet Draco's eyes.

What he saw there shocked him. Fear. She was bloody scared of him. Not terrified but afraid enough that it appeared in her dark eyes.

"I- I'm sorry I don't know what came over me." Draco said, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

But as he did, Meli flinched, eyes wide open, and moved quickly out of his hand's way, making him tumble on the desk. The potions balanced on their bases and as time stopped for a second, one of the small contenant fell on Meli's bare leg. The girl didn't see it immediately and rushed down to help Draco get up, mortified at the idea of him being hurt.

"Draco are you ok?" she asked frenetically. She tried to touch the back of his head, looking for an injury, but he removed her hand with frustration.

"Yeah I'm perfectly fine. No thanks to you though. Why'd you move away from me?" spit out Draco angrily. Meli was so suprised by his reaction, she couldn't say anything.

His mood changes were exhausting. Was he really angry at her right now? After what he did how could he even think he had a right to act like this?

When he realized she wouldn't answer, Draco stood up and began to make his way to the door. Again. But Meli didn't have time to scream at him to get his stupid arse back here because as soon as he reached the four meters away from her, pain took over her body.

Nobody ever used the Crucio curse on her but she imagined it would feel exactly like she felt at this moment.

Like a snake, the pain gripped every part of her, making her muscles burn and her skin sting. A horrible headache crawled its way into her skull and she felt as if claws were trying to make their way out of her brain. She trashed around on the floor and hit her head hard against a desk's leg but it didn't level out the ache now filling her entire body.

The feeling of being emprisoned in her body was horrible. Her eyes crying out waves of tears, blinding her, was horrible. Her mouth and cheeks hurting from the screams she pushed out was horrible. Everything was horrible.

But then it all stopped. In the moment, she had fell to the ground and was now curled up in a ball, a hand gently stroking her back. Warm tears were still running down her face and her breathing was still harsh but the pain went away a little more each time the hand made another movement.

Meli looked up trembling to see Draco's pale face. A single tear ran down his cheek. If she cries, I cry too, though the boy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meli was woken up by the bright light of the sun reflecting on the hospital wing's window. She tried moving but someone stopped her attempt by taking her hand. After a moment, the girl finally got to look around the clinical bed she was in and surprise-surprise, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Dossi, Professor Lupin, Madam Pomfrey, Jane and Draco were all fixing her with attentive eyes.

"Good morning Miss Hiddleston. How are you feeling?" asked Dumbledore with his usual posed voice.

"I'm good. I think. Would someone please tell me why so many people are here and what in the world happened to me?" asked back Meli.