Lydia's Story

After his examination, Draco was told to spend the night in the Hospital Wing. A long string of concerned Slytherins came to visit him, eager to hear his version of how he had sustained his injuries. Pansy, however, seemed to be avoiding the Hospital Wing.

She must still be angry from yesterday, Draco thought to himself as the last of his visitors were chased out of the room. He remembered vividly the scene of his last meeting with Pansy.

"Why didn't you tell me you wanted to take her?" she had wailed angrily, her eyes puffy and red. Draco had been sitting down to breakfast when she had come storming up to him, looking ready to slap him.

"What are you talking about?" he had asked, thoroughly confused.

"The walk!" Pansy exclaimed in near hysterics. "You, watching the sunset with

that...that..." She gestured wordlessly to the Gryffindor table, apparently too disgusted to speak.

"Why are you worrying about that?" Draco asked, taking a deep drink from his goblet of pumpkin juice. "It was your idea."

"How dare you!" Pansy shrieked, a few faces turning to watch from the neighbouring table. Draco was silently happy that the hall was so noisy that morning, meaning Pansy couldn't be heard from the Gryffindor table. "You asked me what I thought was romantic! I thought you were going to take me!"

"Females," Draco now sighed to himself, coming out of the unpleasant memory. How could Pansy blame him, a Malfoy, for her misunderstanding?

"All right, now," Madame Pomfrey said, returning from having escorted the Slytherins out of the Hospital Wing. "It's getting late, and you ought to be sleeping. Your body's been through a lot today, and it needs rest. Besides, the Headmaster wants to see you in the morning."

"The Headmaster?" Draco asked blankly, the colour draining from his face. He had forgotten until now that he had broken school rules and would have to be punished.

"Yes, young man, the Headmaster," she said severely, giving him a hard look. "Rumour has it that this curse wasn't meant for you. The nerve young people have these days! As if we don't have enough to worry about already, without the students attacking each other!"

Madame Pomfrey bustled away, still muttering under her breath. Draco crawled under the covers of his bed, already in his pyjamas. Lying back against his pillow, he tried not to think about what the morning would bring.

*~*~*~*~*

Hardly able to sleep, Lydia woke very early the next morning. Crawling silently out of bed, she pulled on her robes and brushed her hair, careful not to wake the others. She tip-toed her way out of the dormitory, shoving her wand into her pocket.

Pushing her way out of the portrait hole, Lydia continued at a faster pace towards the Hospital Wing, anxious to see Draco. She wasn't even sure if he would be up yet, or if he would want to see her. Would he be mad at her, thinking she had run off to be with Harry?

Winding her way though a few more corridors, Lydia soon reached her destination. She stood outside the doors, not sure what to do. Her hand shook slightly a she reached for the door handle, its metal smooth and cool against her skin. Taking a deep breath, she pushed back the heavy door, stepping into the room.

*~*~*~*~*

Waking up early, Draco had quickly drawn the curtains around his bed. He changed back into his Hogwarts robes, still trying to block the thoughts of what would come from his mind. He didn't want to think that this may be his last morning at Hogwarts.

Though he always said he hated both the school and Dumbledore, Draco knew he couldn't leave it behind. It wasn't so much the school that he would miss, it would be what it held, what it meant.

Lydia.

Sighing, Draco pulled the curtain roughly out of his way, almost walking right into Lydia. Her startled blue eyes looked up at him, and he felt his heart leap into his throat.

"Draco!" she whispered happily, throwing her arms around him. Draco hugged her tightly, silently cherishing the feeling of having her with him again.

Where she belongs, he thought silently, the vision of Harry sitting next to her still fresh in his mind.

"How are you feeling?" Lydia asked gently, taking a step back to look at him better.

"I'm great," he said automatically. "Don't worry, it takes more than that to finish off a Malfoy."

Lydia watched him silently. Her blue eyes flitted across his face, taking in all of his features. Draco felt suddenly conscious of his unbrushed hair, a feeling he wasn't used to. But Lydia looked unconcerned as her eyes locked on his, her gaze steady.

The silence was broken as the door behind them creaked open. Turning, Draco saw Professor Snape sweep into the room, his gaze falling sharply on Lydia before turning to Draco.

"Draco, I've been asked to bring you to the Headmaster's office...alone." Snape's eyes turned briefly to Lydia, his expression darkening.

Nodding, Draco turned to follow Snape, looking apologetically at Lydia. The lump of worry returned to the pit of his stomach, and Draco went to meet his fate.

*~*~*~*~*

Draco followed silently in Professor Snape's wake as he led the way to Dumbledore's office. The corridors were deserted in the early morning hours. Passing a window, Draco saw that the sun had barely risen above the horizon.

"Guard your affections more closely, Draco," Snape said quietly, once the Hospital Wing was far behind them. Draco, who had been lost in his thoughts, jumped slightly at the sound of Snape's voice. He looked at his teacher inquiringly, but Professor Snape's expression gave away nothing.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked at last, also keeping his voice quiet. "You know many Melifluas have joined us. The few who aren't Death Eaters still support the Dark Lord in other ways."

"Yes, but everyone who is with us is not necessarily trustworthy," Snape hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

"You think her family is turning against us?" Draco asked, shocked. Losing the Melifluas would be a major blow to the Death Eaters. "All of them?"

Snape shook his head, glancing over his shoulder at the same time for any sign of listeners. "Not all of them, but her parents have been a target of suspicion for a while among some followers. Her mother never joined our ranks, which I find a pathetic waste of talent. Her father has been involved for many years, but has never gotten along well with many of the others. Your own father hates him, and so does your aunt Bellatrix."

"Why hasn't he been killed yet, if he's so suspicious?" Draco asked sceptically.

"The Dark Lord does not believe that Raphael is a threat," Snape answered. "Those of us with suspicions are acting only on instinct. Without support, nothing can be proven."

Draco walked in stubborn silence, still determined that his relationship with Lydia was justified. Snape had just said himself that there was no proof. Besides, the Dark Lord trusted Lydia's family, and that was enough to show Draco that what he was doing was acceptable.

*~*~*~*~*

"Is this true, Mister Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked, looking grimly at Draco through his half-moon spectacles. Draco had just listened to him repeat everything Lydia and Harry had reported the day before. Not wanting to make Lydia sound like a liar, Draco slowly nodded.

Dumbledore leaned back in his seat, his eyes focusing silently on the ceiling above them. He was seated at his usual place behind his desk, with Draco seated across from him and Snape standing beside his prized pupil. For a moment, the room was filled only with the sounds of the many mysterious instruments and a few snores from some of the surrounding portraits. The golden perch stood empty, and had been that way for a couple of days. The relative quiet was broken as Snape spoke at last.

"Headmaster, might I remind you that there have been many quarrels between students at this school, and none of them has yet to earn any severe punishments."

When Dumbledore replied, his words were directed at Draco. "Mister Malfoy, do you understand the severity of the curse you used against Mister Potter?"

"Well, I...I do now." Draco said at last, his mind searched for something that would not sound too incriminating.

Dumbledore turned his eyes on him, but Draco looked out of the window instead. He tried to empty his mind of emotion, just as Professor Snape had taught him, but he was finding it increasingly difficult.

"How did you come across this spell?" Dumbledore asked after a small silence.

"It was in a book," Draco said truthfully, turning his eyes back to Dumbledore.

"What was the title of this book?" Dumbledore continued in his calm voice.

"I honestly don't know," Draco answered with a shrug. "The covers were ripped off, and it was missing a lot of pages."

"Where did you find it, then?" the Headmaster asked instead.

"At home," Draco said after a small pause. This was also the truth, but Draco knew it couldn't do anymore damage. Everyone already knew that his father was in Azkaban after being caught at the Ministry of Magic with fellow Death Eaters. As he expected, Dumbledore just gave an understanding nod. There was another long silence as Dumbledore considered all of this.

"As your Head of House, I will leave Professor Snape to decide on your punishment, to be served out here at the school," Dumbledore said at last to Draco's intense relief. He waited silently to hear Snape's verdict.

"You will serve a weeks worth of detentions with me, starting Monday," Snape said after a moment of thought. "You will meet me in my office at eight o' clock each evening. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Draco said, still relieved by his good luck. He knew Professor Snape wouldn't make the detentions difficult for him. As they rose to leave the office, he felt that a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders.