A Murderer’s Daughter

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Chapter Thirty-Two: The Library

Draco walked into the library, heading towards the corner that he and Buffy usually studied in. He had watched her walk out of the Great Hall, wishing he could have followed her. But it would have been too noticeable. So, he had waited for a few moments before getting up to follow. He’d been unable to help himself when he’d walked past Harry and the others. He couldn’t believe that they were alienating a friend just because of who their parents were.

Of course, Draco couldn’t have told them that particular argument when he himself had used it so many times to put down Hermione. But that sort of behaviour was expected from Draco. The Slytherin boy had never expected Harry and his two friends to show the same hostility that Draco usually showed.

Draco found Buffy curled up against a wall in their section of the library. She had her legs drawn up under her chin, her head resting on her forearms which were crossed on top of her knees. He sat beside her, touching her shoulder gently.

She looked up and the sight of her tear-streaked face nearly broke his heart.

“How’re you doing?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head miserably. “Not too great.”

He nodded and pulled her towards him, grateful when she uncurled herself from the tight ball she was in and instead clung to him. He stroked her hair gently and let her cry against his cloak.

“I told them off,” Draco whispered. “Told them to get over themselves. Nicely of course, cos I knew you woulda hit me if I’d done it any other way.”

Buffy gave a wet giggle and wiped at her tears. “Damn straight.”

“They’ll work it out Buffy,” he whispered. “They’ll see you for who you really are.”

“A murderer’s daughter you mean,” she replied sadly.

He hooked a finger beneath her chin and made her look him in the eyes.

“They will see a stunningly beautiful girl with the biggest heart and the kindest spirit. They’ll see the girl that has gone though far too much for any one lifetime,” he said quietly. “They’ll work out that they’re a bunch of idiots. Don’t worry about them.”

She nodded, hoping that she could believe his words. She was just grateful to have one person who didn’t look at her in fear. One person who had known who she really was from early on and still liked her anyway. She closed her eyes and leant her head against Draco’s chest.

“Drake?”

“Mmm?”

“You’re not the bad ass you pretend to be,” she said quietly.

He laughed a little and held her closer to his chest.

“Well, don’t let it get out,” he said gruffly. “I’ve got a reputation to uphold, y’know.”

“Yeah, you’re just a regular big bad,” she said with a grin.

“Better believe it.”

“You’re a teddy and you know it.”

“Only to you, love.”

They sat there for at least an hour before either of them spoke again.

“Drake?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me everything’ll be okay. Even if you’re lying,” she said. “Just tell me it’ll be okay.”

“It’ll be just fine,” he whispered into her hair. “I swear it. Everything’ll be just fine.”

------------------------

They remained in the library until dinner time, Buffy tempted to just forego the meal completely. She was hungry though, having only eaten a few bites at breakfast and having skipped lunch. Plus, Draco’s stomach kept growling and she couldn’t ask him to skip anymore meals.

“Dinner?” she asked.

“We don’t have to go,” he whispered. “We can just stay here.”

She shook her head.

“You’re hungry Drake, and so am I. Just cos they don’t wanna be anywhere near me, it doesn’t mean I hafta skip dinner.”

He nodded and stood up, hauling Buffy to her feet. He hugged her comfortingly before pulling away.

“Let’s go then.”

They walked out of the library, heading towards the Great Hall.

“You could sit with me,” he offered. “If you want actual conversation.”

“But you’re a Slytherin.”

“Oh no,” Draco replied. “Not a Slytherin. Heaven forbid.”

He was mocking her and she knew it. He’d given her the sarcastic answer that Buffy had given him about being a Gryffndor so many months ago.

“Funny,” she complimented him.

“I’m a funny guy,” he dead-panned.

She grinned and they walked across the main foyer area towards the Great Hall.

“I’ll think about it. If I get horribly desperate, I’ll change my tie.”

He rolled his eyes and nodded. He slipped something into her hand and the quickly walked into the Hall towards the Slytherin table before she could open the folded piece of paper.

She unfolded it and saw two words: Password – Marvolo. The Slytherin Common Room password. She shot a glance to where Draco was sitting and met his eyes. He looked at her to make sure she understood what he meant by giving her the paper. She was welcome in there if she needed someone to talk to. She knew that he had the fifth year boys room to himself, something he had been thrilled about. If she needed to escape, she’d just been given an option.

Buffy walked down beside the long table and sat beside Neville once more, except this time, Harry, Ron and Hermione were far closer than before. Neville was the only person between Buffy and Harry, and Buffy was becoming distinctly nervous.

She stayed silent for most of the meal, Neville noting the tension between the group. He didn’t say anything to them though, knowing better than to draw attention to the tension between the group.

Dinner finished, and most people moved up to the dormitories. Buffy swallowed hard. This couldn’t be good. She’d been lucky the previous night, staying in Giles’ study. But tonight, she’d be back in her own room. Lavender and Parvati were home for the holidays, and Ginny was bunking in a spare bed in the Fourth-Years dorms. Which left Hermione and Buffy alone in the room.

Buffy wanted to get there first, unsure why, but wanting to feel that she was on home territory. Draco saw her move and went to follow, but Buffy looked at him and shook her head. He sat back down and watched her leave.

She walked quickly up the stairs and into the Gryffindor Common Room, giving the new password which had been changed that morning as had been promised. She didn’t notice that she was being followed, not by one of her friends, but by all three of them.

She made it to her room and threw off her coat, shrugging out of her sweater, leaving her in just a tight black t-shirt and jeans. She studied the mark on her arm for a moment before tearing her eyes away from it and concentrating on shedding the remainder of her clothes.

She toed off her boots and went to unbutton her jeans, but stopped when she heard the door open. She turned, expecting only Hermione.

What she saw though made her stomach flip-flop. Harry, Ron and Hermione entered, their faces stony. She swallowed hard. She’d been expecting a confrontation with Hermione alone, not with the two boys as well. This wasn’t going to be good.

She suddenly wished she hadn’t been so quick to throw off her jumper. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, not only to give her a sense of protection, but to cover the mark on the inside of her arm.

The door closed behind them and the group stared at each other in silence.


Chapter Thirty-Three: The Yelling

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By Kattie

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