Chapter 39 (Ava)

I stared at the page of my book, but I couldn’t take anything in. I was sitting outside on the grass with Neville, Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny, soaking up the sun which had made its first appearance today.

I couldn’t concentrate on my book because I was so wrapped up in my thoughts.

Draco had been acting strange all week. Ever since the night at the library, he’d been strangely closed off, and he wouldn’t explain why.

That first day after the library incident, I had hardly seen him. Then, when I finally caught sight of him and grabbed onto his arm, pulling him aside to ask him what he’d been doing, he said he’d spent all day at the library writing out his essay. I’d believed him- of course I had, I had no reason not to.

The next day, when we were back to lessons, Draco was fine all day, acting perfectly normal. It wasn’t until just after dinner that he shot off. I assumed that he was perhaps returning his book to the library- I didn’t question it.

I hadn’t started to worry until a few days later. Draco had been particularly cold every time I had tried to speak to him, and the moment we got to the common room, he’d gone straight to bed.

I’d returned to the common room after an hour of attempting to go to sleep, hoping that the warmth of the fire would help me drift into a comfortable sleep. No one else had been in there, so I’d laid down on the sofa with a blanket over the top of me and snuggled into the comfortable cushions.

I was half-asleep when I’d heard the common room door open, and my whole body had frozen.

Draco hadn’t seen me as he’d walked past quickly, and I’d been too sleepy to sit up and call out after him.

What on earth had he been up to at that time of night? Surely the librarian couldn’t have allowed him to stay there that late?

“Ava!”

I gasped, dropping my book on the grass. Harry laughed,

“Good book?”

I picked it up, smiling,

“Absolutely fantastic. Anyway, what were you saying?”

Hermione chipped in,

“Neville asked you when you’re taking your NEWTs.”

I looked up at Neville and grinned,

“In a couple of weeks, I think.”

Ginny frowned,

“But that’s so soon! Do you think you’re ready?”

 I shook my head,

“No way! But all of my teachers seem to think I will be. I don’t know why- it’s not like within the next week I’m suddenly going to learn everything. I feel like I’m nowhere near the end of the courses.”

“Ah, I reckon you’ll be alright, Ava.” Ron smiled at me, “Look at all the extra effort you’ve put into your schoolwork.”

I shrugged, glancing down at the floor,

“Thanks Ron.”

He was right about all of the extra effort- but I had been so distracted over the year, and surely that was going to have an impact on my results.

So distracted.

The reasons for my distractions filled my mind and I shook the thought away. I stood up, brushing any dirt off of myself as I muttered,

“I should go… I’ll see you guys later.”

Everyone mumbled goodbyes in response as I started to walk away, but one voice made me stop,

“Ava, wait!”

I turned around to see Harry get up and walk towards me. He offered me a smile before hugging me awkwardly. I laughed into his shoulder and returned the hug. I had a feeling that he knew something was wrong, but he didn’t want to ask what.

I quickly blinked away the tears in my eyes and glanced over Harry’s shoulder, noticing with surprise that Draco was staring at us from about twenty metres away. When he saw me looking at him, he turned around and quickly scuttled away.

I pulled away from my brother and whispered softly in his ear,

“Thank you Harry.”

When I glanced over his shoulder again, Draco was gone.

*                    *                    *

Dinner was strange. After having seen Draco walk off earlier, I’d decided to sit with him at the Slytherin table.

But when I perched down beside him, he looked at me like I was the last person he wanted to see.

I nudged his arm and whispered,

“Hey, what’s the matter?”

Draco glanced up at me and gulped,

“I- Nothing.”

I stared at him for a moment, willing him to give me a real answer, but when all I got was a blank look, I sighed exasperatedly and turned away.

Sitting on the Slytherin table reminded me why I hated them so much. Pansy and Blaise were going on and on about a second year muggleborn girl who’d been crying in the library because she thought she was going to fail her next exam.

“Of course she would fail.” Pansy smirked, “She’s a mudblood.”

“Hermione is a muggleborn- that is the correct word, Pansy- and she is top of your year.” I snapped.

Pansy’s cheeks reddened with anger,

“If you’re so protective over her- why don’t you go back and sit with them again? Or has your pathetic brother finally realised that he doesn’t want to be hanging around with a Slytherin?”

I opened my mouth to reply, but Draco sat up and shot at Pansy,

“I actually asked Ava to sit with us today Pansy, do be quiet.”

His sharp tone left Pansy speechless, and she scowled down at her dinner. I smiled at Draco gratefully, and he returned a small twitch at the corner of his lips.

Everyone including Pansy, was silent for the rest of the meal.

When we all got up to make our way to the common room, Neville caught my eye from the other side of the room. He gave me a questioning look, and I knew that he wanted to know why I hadn’t sat with them today. I shook my head and he knew not to ask anything else until another time.

When we got to the common room I started to make my way towards the dormitory, but Draco closed his fingers around my wrist and kept an iron grip on them. I turned to him and frowned, confused. He simply looked at me with pleading eyes.

The best I could do was nod and sit down by the fire beside him.

Despite the fact that I was tired, I waited patiently for half an hour, flicking through a book on my lap while Draco made small talk with me.

When there were only about five people left in the common room when Draco leant over to me and whispered into my ear,

“Come with me. Please.”

I nodded, flipped the book shut and followed him out of the common room. He took hold of my hand the moment we were out in the corridor and muttered,

“The prefects are all over. We have to be fast and quiet.”

Before I could say anything else in response, Draco pulled me along the dark corridor through the shadows. I couldn’t tell where we were going, but I had a feeling it was meant to be a secret.

I heard a prefect nearby, walking along slowly, and yanked Draco back behind a statue. When they were gone, we carried on walking.

I still had no idea what we were doing when we stopped by a plain wall. I whispered,

“What’s going on?”

Draco closed his eyes and walked past the wall. I watched in wonder as the doors to the Room of Requirement appeared before me. Why had Draco taken me here?

We walked in and closed the doors behind us quietly.

Finally I could pull my wand out,

“Lumos.”

The light from the tip of my wand made the room more clear, and I stepped forwards.

The Room of Requirement looked the same as it had before- it was absolutely filled with random objects that people had disposed of. I wondered with a pang of sadness if my parents of Sirius had ever left a random object in here.

I turned to look at Draco,

“Why have you taken me here? What’s going on?”

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When he opened them, his face betrayed his mood: scared.

I reached forwards to squeeze his hand but he flinched away,

“Don’t. Don’t make this any harder than it already is.”

“Make what harder? Just tell me what you’re up to!” I sighed.

“Just looking at you makes me feel guilty. You’ve been so kind- so helpful. It’s been eating me from the inside for a week now- I should have told you sooner.”

I was starting to panic- I could feel my heart racing,

“Told me what?”

Draco ignored my question,

“Earlier today- I saw you hugging Harry and I saw how much you love him. I’m so sorry, Ava.”

“Told me what?” I repeated, my voice rising.

“This past week- I’ve been working on something. In here- the Room of Requirement. It’s part of-” He faltered, “It’s part of the mission.”

My heart stopped.

“No.” I whispered, “No, no. Please tell me you’re lying.”

When all Draco did was look at me, tears filled my eyes,

“You’ve been working on the mission. After all of the help I’ve been giving you? We were going to go against Voldemort’s wishes. Together.”

“Ava, please-” Draco started.

“What is it then?” I hissed, “This precious object that you’ve been working on for the mission? What is it?”

Draco took a deep breath and stepped back, lighting up his own wand with a silent mutter.

And standing behind him was a wardrobe I’d seen so many times before, but never been able to understand. The Vanishing Cabinet.

“What does it do?” My voice was quiet.

“It… it’s used to transport someone from one place to another. It must have a partner, otherwise it doesn’t work. You step into them and then… suddenly you’re in the other one.” Draco wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Where’s the other one?” I whispered.

“Borgin and Burkes.”

I took a shaky breath,

“And how is that in any way going to help you kill Professor Dumbledore?”

The silence was deafening as Draco paused,

“It’s not for that exactly. It’s more to… to let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. There’s no other way and it’s all part of the plan. The Dark Lord’s plan.”

I stood up straighter, despite the fact that I was shattering into a million pieces inside,

“What else is part of the plan? Me taking Harry to his death? Wow- how considerate of you to tell me of the plan just when I’ve gotten close with him again.”

Draco shook his head,

“Ava- I already said- I’m so sorry. I really am. There was no other way.”

He moved towards me, but I took a step backwards,

“I trusted you! I trusted you, Draco Malfoy, and now you’re letting a group of Death Eaters into our school and telling me I have to let my brother die. How could you?”

I turned away and stormed off, but when I reached the door I turned to look at him,

“Just tell me one thing- when is it going to happen?”

All Draco said was,

“Soon.”