Song(s) for the chapter:  traitor by Olivia Rodrigo

T/W: swearing, slut-shaming (again, it's not Draco! Yay!)

"Make it a powerful memory. The happiest you can remember, allow it to fill you up," Harry instructs, while walking around the room. The memories with my family and loved ones begin to flash in my mind.

One memory stands out from the others; it being my first year going to Hogwarts. Specifically, Nymphi dropping me off at the Hogwarts Express. She was fresh out of Hogwarts while I was an anxious first year, who was excited to go to my dream school.

I remember how Nymphi talked me through everything there is to know at Hogwarts while she held my hand all the way up to the train's doors.

I hold onto the feeling of her hugging me just before letting me into the train as I point my wand up into the air, saying, "expecto patronum!"

A mist of blue and white streams out of my wand along with the image of a little bird. I recognize the bird to be a kingfisher, with its swiftness in flight, amazing energy, and ability to light up the room with its sweet song. It may be small and seem insignificant, but it is a bird with quite the impact on its surroundings.

Smiling at my successful first attempt, I see Harry walk over to me. "Excellent work, Libby! You're a natural." My smile grows more at his compliment.

As I'm admiring my patronus, I glance over to my right to see Susie struggling with hers. Her reddish brows furrow more as she says the charm louder and with more determination.

"Don't think of just a specific memory if that isn't helping. Think about a person you admire and love, and hold onto that feeling," I whisper to her with a gentle smile. She glances over with a small nod before closing her eyes.

I watch as a smile forms on her mouth, as well as a blush on her cheeks, while she says the charm again. Almost immediately as she's done saying the charm, her Patronus, a Quokka, prowls from the light shooting from her wand. The Quokka is an animal that is located in a small part of Australia, who poses no threat to humans and is one of the friendliest animals you could ever meet. It fits Susie perfectly.

Just as she squeals in delight, the sound of a loud bang resonates through the room.

My Patronus disappears from the air, as does most everyone else's in the room as the sound continues.

"What was that?!" Hannah yells out, earning murmurs and exclamations of distress.

Before anyone can answer, the door bursts open and out steps Filch and all the members of the Inquisitorial squad. Filch looks very shocked yet ecstatic to have finally found a reason to get more students in deep trouble.

My eyes briefly scan over Pansy, Crabbe, Milicent, and Goyle—who's giving me a strange look—before I look at Draco. He hasn't seen me yet, his eyes solely on Harry as he tugs at...

"Cho?" Harry says with a sad look in his eyes.

Cho's eyes are red, most likely from crying, as she says, "I'm so sorry..."

Harry's face falls even more at her words, his face showing a mix of upset and anger as he continues to look at her. The look causes her to cry more while Pansy sneers something mean her way.

Cho would never betray the D.A. like this.

Would she?

As I'm watching the scene unfold, I feel his eyes on me. I turn my head so I'm looking right at him; our gazes lock onto one another. My heart sinks as he mouths, "Jo?" with a look of hurt.

Before I can respond, the hurt in his eyes is immediately replaced with that of anger. He narrows his gaze into slits as he shoves Cho into Goyle's side for him to grab onto her.

"All of you! Follow me! You're all in big trouble with Headmaster Umbridge," Filch yells out with a sickenly icky smile. I'm puzzled as to why he keeps calling her 'Headmaster' when Dumbledore is literally still here, but nobody questions it as we all hang our heads in shame and disappointment.

As we all shuffle awkwardly out of the room, he spots me walking past and says to me, "I expected better from you, Miss Tonks."

I ignore his comment, already feeling sick that I'll be in trouble. I've never gotten in trouble. I've always been a good student, never receiving any detentions or house points off. And now with Umbridge practically being the head of the school, I am absolutely screwed.

As I make it into the hall with the rest of the students, Draco finds me; his eyes flaming.

He crosses his arms as he walks alongside me to Umbridge's office. I'm waiting for him to say the first word, but he doesn't. He simply is just glaring at the side of my face as we continue walking through the corridors.

Finally as we near her classroom and office, he pulls at my arm so I'm facing him. Many of the others are out of earshot as he says, "what the absolute fuck, Jo."

I'm appalled at his language towards me, so I tug my arm out of his grasp with narrowed eyes.

"Draco...I had no choice. We aren't learning anything from Umbitch—er—Umbridge. You know that." I notice he lets out a snort at my slip up on Umbridge's name, but he quickly covers it up with a cough.

"You know I hate Potter."

I furrow my brows at his statement. "For someone who supposedly hates Harry, you sure are obsessed with him."

He scoffs at this, glancing away for a bit before bringing his eyes back on me.

"You're going to regret this," he seethes, leaning closer to my face.

"I don't regret anything," I retort back with complete honesty before turning around and walking towards my fate.

I don't turn around to look at him. Rather, I hold my head high as I walk into Umbridge's classroom.

I don't regret a thing.

....

The tears slowly stream down my face, dripping onto the parchment in front of me. The back of my hand is bloodied, with the words, "I must obey the rules," etched into the skin. I can't write anymore as the pain is hot and searing; it's like taking a steaming needle and carving it into my skin--much like one would carve a pumpkin.

I drop the quill, clutching my hand as I bite my lip. The mark already is scabbing over as I glance around the room at my fellow D.A. members who're all enduring the same thing.

Ginny, Luna and Nigel are sobbing as they continue their lines, while I spy George giving Umbridge the deadliest look I have ever seen from him.

Susie is sniffling, her hand shaking as she continues writing, while Hannah is writing quickly but biting her lip harshly. Ernie and Justin are seated behind me, and even though I can't see them, I know it's Justin who's letting out whimpers of pain while Ernie is dead silent--for once.

I can't see Harry, Hermione or Ron as they're too far up in the front, but I know they're also hurting too.

"Alright! Detention is over...for today. You may leave for your dormitories," Umbridge announces with her annoyingly high-pitched voice.

I get up from my seat, shaking as I do so. Not from the mark, but from everything my friends and I have endured the last two hours.

As we all walk out the classroom, I don't miss Cho trying to get Harry's attention close in the hall.

Her eyes are red and swollen from crying, and her lip quivers as she attempts to get out her apology to the fast-paced Gryffindor boy.

I hear him snap out, "haven't you done enough already," before storming off with his two best friends tailing after him. Others continue to give Cho dirty looks and hurtful utterances as she collapses on the ground, crying into the sleeves of her robe.

I rush over towards her, comforting her even though my left hand still stings a bit.

"I—I am so so sorry. I couldn't lie... they-they caught me and made me drink Veritaserum, and I am—just so sorry." She continues to sniffle and mutter her apologies.

"I know it wasn't your fault. If it weren't you getting caught, it would've been any one of us." I bring her closer to me as she continues to cry. I glance over at my side, feeling steely eyes on me

Draco gives me a hard glare and shake of his head before turning on his heel and walking further down the corridor.

My stomach seems to sink further and further at his retreating form. I'm unsure why I feel like this.

Perhaps I hate the fact that I disappointed him? Or perhaps it's because I've been lying to him?

As I continue to comfort Cho, I make up my mind.

I need to talk to him and apologize for lying, but he also needs to listen and understand why I joined the D.A.

And it wasn't to spite him.

It was for something far greater than him and I.

...

"Of course it was bloody Cho that ratted us out! It wouldn't surprise me if Umbridge threatened lowering her grades or something." Zach is standing next to Justin who's seated on the sofa opposite of the one Hannah and I are on. Ernie and Susie are nestled closely together on a large chair, in and out of the conversation as they keep teasing and tickling each other.

"You know they gave her Veritaserum. It's not like she couldn't help telling the truth with that in her system," Hannah remarks, her tone sharp towards Zacharias. He only rolls his eyes in response, something he does often when anyone other than Justin speaks.

"I bet Malfoy is just having a grand ole time! I mean, he is mainly the reason the D.A. got caught and is over with," Justin spews out, his eyes shift briefly over me as he says this. I give him a curious look to which he crosses his arms, laying further into the back of the sofa as he looks away.

I look up at Zach who's glaring at me.

What is up with all these boys giving me dirty looks recently?!

"Although I do not care for Malfoy that much, he was doing his job. We were going against rules, regardless of how stupid they are," Susie chimes in, her eyes on me. She gives me a soft smile in reassurance to which I smile back at her.

"You know, I guess it could've been any one of us...right, Libby? But we know you wouldn't need Veritaserum to tell the truth. You only need Malfoy to give you another good night, huh?" Zach spits out venomously at me with a deviant smirk.

My whole body goes rigid at his words, and Justin snaps his eyes on me, brows furrowed and all.

"What the hell is he talking about, Libby?" I don't say anything, my mouth unable to form any coherent words, so he looks up at Zach. "What are you talking about, Zach?"

His eyes don't leave mine as he says, "oh nothing much, except Libby here likes to sneak out to Slytherin parties and shag any boy who gives her one second of attention."

Hannah let's out a loud gasp at this while Susie claps a hand over her mouth. Ernie is giving all of us strange looks, clearly now listening to the conversation.

I harden my gaze at Zach, standing up from my seat.

"How dare you!! For the record, you were also at that party... and got kicked out for being an arsehole!" I glance around my friends. All of them are staring at me wide-eyed, mouths agape. "—funny that he—"I point at Zach, "—got kicked out of a Slytherin party for being an arse!"

"You shagged Malfoy?" Justin asks, his face is pale yet his eyes are stony with anger.

"No. No I did not." He lets out, what I assume to be, a sigh in relief. "Not that it is any of your business if I did or not. And Zach—" my gaze back up at him, "—don't you ever say things like that about me again! !"

I glance around at my friends again, tears already forming in my eyes as I rush off towards the Prefect suites. I just about make it to my room as a hand tugs at my shoulder.

"Libby—" I turn my head, so I'm looking right at Justin. His face isn't holding any anger anymore, but he can't hide the hurt in his eyes.

"What?" I can't help the crack in my voice as I ask. With everything that happened today and Zach's hurtful words, I just want to lay down and cry in my bed at this point.

He lets out a sigh, taking his hand off my shoulder and bringing his gaze down. "Why him, Libby? Malfoy is such an arsehole. You could do so much better."

His eyes drift back up to mine, giving me those damned puppy-dog eyes. Unfortunately for him, I've gotten over that look a long time ago.

His words also rub me the wrong way.

"Like who? You?"

"Well...someone who would treat you the way you should be treated." His eyes don't leave mine as he says this.

"I think I can decide that for myself." With that, I walk into my room, closing the door on him.

I flop down onto my bed, pulling a pillow flush against my front as I finally let the tears fall.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Tomorrow will be better.

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**unedited**