Chapter 43

                                    

                                          
It was as if the world had melted away and it was just the two of us. He stared at me, his face flashing with several different emotions at once, fear, guilt, worry, sadness, and anger when his eyes drifted down to see Harry's hand round my waist. Harry's hand stayed firmly where it was and I was grateful, I think my knees would have given way if he wasn't next to me. Every emotion that I had pushed to the back of my mind had come rushing back, my heart bursting with the love I had for him, but my stomach in knots at the confusion I had over what had happened with the necklace. 
                          
"Caught this one hanging around outside" Filch said, breaking the silence, holding Draco tightly by the scruff of the neck. 
                          
"Alright alright I was gatecrashing!" Draco spat, shrugging himself free from Filch's grip. Snape had pushed himself to the front of the group and held Draco by the arm. 
                          
"I'll escort him out" he said, as he shoved him out of the room. 
                          
I felt a tug on my arm as Harry whispered to me "come on let's go." He practically dragged me round the corner where Snape had Draco shoved against the wall and was interrogating him. We stood, our backs pressed against the wall as we listened. 
                          
"I didn't mean to do it! Pansy went against the plan!"
                          
"Because of your carelessness he's more suspicious than ever, and now your little girlfriend will probably tell him everything-"
                          
"Did you see him, his arm around her, gloating."
                          
"I do not care about his love life, I made the unbreakable vow Mr Malfoy, I swore to protect you, and you're making my job increasingly difficult." 
                          
"I don't need protection. I was chosen. Out of everyone, me." 
                          
"You're afraid Draco, and it's making you make careless mistakes. Your infatuation with the Greenwood girl is making your mind think of other things, instead of the task. Let me help." 
                          
"I've been staying away from her."
                          
"Staying away from her because of the task? Or staying away from her because you hate yourself for what happened to her...........no answer? Well I know which one it is." 
                          
"It's my moment." We heard footsteps pass us and we held our breath until we were sure no one was there. 
                          
"What the hell was that" I said, signing heavily and leaning against the wall. 
                          
"I don't know, but we need to find out what Pansy was doing with that necklace" Harry said, gazing out of the window. 
                          
"So he's been missing classes purely because he doesn't want to see me"
                          
"We need to start following him, this is getting serious now." 
                          
I took a deep breath before saying "okay." Even though I could have told Harry then and there that I knew exactly what Draco was up to and where he would be every evening, I didn't. 
                          
~
                          
"Has anyone done the charms homework yet? I just can't nail this spell" Ron said as he slapped down his wand and picked up a sandwhich at lunch the next day. 
                          
"What charms homework?" I asked, as Hermione gave me a stern look. 
                          
"Seriously Tori, where has your mind been the last few weeks?! You never forget homework!" 
                          
"I think the thing that's been on her mind has just entered the hall" Ron said, gesturing over to the door. 
                          
We all turned to see Draco walking through the wall, looking more pale and tired than ever. He spotted us staring and met my eyes for a second before he froze and turned around, storming out of the hall frantically. 
                          
Harry shot up immediately. I grabbed his arm to stop him but he was already gone, practically running out of the hall after him. I was up a second later, running after them both, my wand in my hand. 
                          
"Bet you're loving this aren't you. Getting to act like the caring friend, looking after her while evil Draco avoids her." I stood outside the bathroom, frozen as I listened to the exchange between the two boys. 
                          
"She could have died because of you Malfoy. She's putting her life in danger anyway being with you, you know she'd do anything for you, and I know she'll get hurt because of it." 
                          
"Do you think I don't know that? Do you know how many times I've forced myself to push her away just to protect her? How many times she's refused to leave me? You just can't stand that I have one thing Potter. This one amazing thing in my life, the only thing in my life that brings me any happiness. One thing that you want. I won this time." 
                          
"You think I'm doing all this because of her?"
                          
"Don't think I don't know how you feel about her. Little golden boy Potter." 
                          
"You want me to say it? Fine, I love her. I always will love her. Happy? She's better off without you and you know it. Do you know how many times I've heard her crying over you since what happened? I was stupid to think you were ever capable of love Malfoy." 
                          
That's when the first spell was fired. Crashes were heard from inside the bathroom as I stood breathing heavily against the wall. Water began to trickle out of the doorway and into the corridor as pipes were burst and it all fell silent when I heard Harry yell "SECTUMSEMPRA!" 
                          
He ran out of the bathroom a few moments later as Snape ran past me. 
                          
"What did you do?" I asked frantically as Harry grabbed my hand when he saw me, trying to pull me away from the scene. 
                          
"We need to go. Now Tori." 
                          
"NO. What did you do?"
                          
"Tori we need to GO" he pulled at my arm once more but I stood, rooted to the spot. 
                          
"No." And that's when I saw blood trickling out mixed with the water that wax slowly flooding the corridor.