The Same Mistake

For the next three weeks matters between Harry and Ellie continued to deteriorate. He was constantly badgering Ellie about Draco; his comments getting more and more vicious each time they spoke. And as Harry got ever more aggressive with Ellie, Ginny became ever more suspicious of her friend.

“But what are you doing with Draco? I mean, you two have been together for a while now, and even though you are hush hush about it, at least half the class has to know. Why keep pretending like it’s a secret?” Ginny had asked the day prior.

Ellie lifted one shoulder in an attempt at shrug. She didn’t want to have this conversation, especially not with Ginny. “It’s what we prefer. A quiet relationship without all the fuss from others.”

“A quiet relationship? I’ve never known Draco to be quiet about anything. Besides, if Harry thinks there is something up with Draco, he’s probably right.” Ginny had given her a piercing looking as if trying to pry out the truth.

“Ginny, you told me yourself that Harry and Draco have always had it out for one another. Neither Ron nor Hermione think anything is going on with him, so I don’t care what Harry thinks. It’s Draco I’m dating, not Harry.” Ellie voice was unreasonably annoyed.

Ginny had taken a step back, clearly hurt by Ellie’s curtness. “Fine. I was simply trying to look out for you, but if you think you know better, then I wish you good luck.”

That was the last time they had spoken in twenty-four hours. The whole thing was running Ellie raw. Why couldn’t Ginny just believe her? Why did it have to be so hard? If Ellie lost Ginny, she knew she would have nothing left at Hogwarts except for Draco. She felt she was losing herself more every day. Was this what it was like? Did the Dark Lord draw you in by taking all from you except for the one thing that was already tainted?

The classes smeared into one another as the dark cloud that hung over Ellie pressed ever closer. Dark circles had begun to form under Ellie’s eyes, her once porcelain skin know tinged with gray. The fatigue that had drained Draco was now sucking her energy away as well. Night came quickly that Friday, Ellie desperate to leave the glaring silence between herself and Ginny that had once been filled with joyful chatter.

Laying on her stomach, alone in her dormitory, Ellie looked forlornly at Leory. The cat blinked his eyes at her, swishing his tail impatiently as he leapt from one bed to another before landing softly beside Ellie. He paced the length of her body three times before settling in against her stomach. He purred quietly, the lonely sound echoing off the castle walls.

Sadness rushed up against Ellie, even as Leory snuggled down closer to her. On the floor beside her bed, a single sheet of parchment lay crumpled and partially torn. The Order had finally responded, and what they had to say did nothing to ease her worries.

It was only as she stood waiting in the West Tower hours later that night that Ellie’s despondency began to lift. Quick, staccato footsteps on the marble stairs evaporated the last of Ellie’s discomfort. A shock of white blonde hair shifted into view followed by a pale narrow face. Ellie’s face lit up with momentary excitement, but was quickly doused by the expression on Draco’s tired features.

“I think someone’s following me,” he whispered. Grabbing tightly onto Ellie’s hand, he half dragged her from the tower. They raced down the many flights of stairs until they reached a bare stretch of wall.

Releasing Ellie’s hand, Draco pecked her cheek sweetly. “Give me a second,” he said conveying with his eyes for her to remain where she was, pressed against the cold wall next to a rather tarnished suit of armor.

As he had done once before, during their very first detention together, Draco passed before the blank wall three times. Then to Ellie’s bewilderment, though she had seen it before, a arched wooden door formed directly in the center of the wall.

Draco looked over his shoulder at Ellie, a very thin smile gracing his lips. “After you,” he said motioning to the door.

Ellie returned the smile as she swiftly slipped into the room. It was the same room they had gone to last time. The towers and rows of other students belongings stretched out before her, and even more dizzying array of items than there had been just months earlier, if that could be possible. It seemed that many Hogwarts students had learned of the unique ability this room had to hide their hidden treasures.

Draco followed immediately after Ellie, pulling the door shut tight behind him. But just before the door closed, Ellie thought she heard a crack, as though a whip had been snapped. The sound jolted Ellie from her thoughts. Turning to Draco with wide eyes she asked, “What was –“

Draco pressed one slim finger to Ellie’s warm lips.

He shook his head letting her know she should stay quiet. Stepping back to the door, Draco pressed his ear against the wood. For several minutes they stood completely silent, Draco listening hard against the door, his heart hammering roughly in his chest. That wasn’t the first time in the past weeks that he had heard the ominous crack of a house elf disapparating. In fact, it was happening rather too frequently for his liking.

After five minutes of the utmost silence, Draco eased away from the door. His apprehension high, but logic telling him to let it go. Drawing back towards Ellie, Draco wrapped his arms around her waist, reveling in her warmth and the overwhelming pleasure he took in being with her. “Hello, Love,” he spoke quietly.

Ellie’s blue eyes sparkled up at him, glowing with a happiness that matched his. She simply smiled, securing her arms behind his neck and resting her head against his chest. He took solace in the feel of his breathing syncing rhythmically with hers. She was alive, and they were together. For the moment, everything was alright.

The night before, nightmares had plagued him until the early hours of morning. Always ending with the dead Ellie demanding to know why he had not tried harder to protect her; always blaming him for her death. And every morning he awoke knowing that it was true. If Ellie died, it would be all his fault.

But now was not the time to think about that. Instead, he turned his thoughts to the allusive house elves. “You heard it then?” he asked, keeping his voice low so as not to break the intimate and calm feel of the moment.

“Oui,” the word came out like a tired sigh from Ellie’s pink lips. “Qu’est que-ce?”

Draco paused to let the words register, and when they finally did, he answered. “What was it? Well, I believe it was a house elf or elves. I can’t be certain of course, I’ve never seen them, but it seems more than apparent that I am being followed by the filth.”

He felt Ellie tense against him. A small smirk quirked the corner of his mouth, leave it to Ellie to have a problem with him calling house elves filth. “You should not say such things. In France we are far kinder to our elves than you British. We give them holidays.”

“Holidays?” Draco couldn’t help but scoff. “And what exactly do the elves do on holiday?”

“Je ne sais pas. My family does not own any house elves. Mama thinks it is not right and Papa cannot imagine the need for one if ma mere does not want one.” Ellie tilted back in Draco’s arms to place butterfly kisses alone his jaw.

Distracted momentarily by her affections, Draco’s thoughts drifted infinitely far from house elves and infinitely closer to wishing he had asked the Room of Requirement for the perfect place in which to seduce the not so innocent Ellie. Draco bent down closer to Ellie, she arched her neck back gracefully, offering up her lips for Draco to cover with his own, which he did obligingly.

The seconds turned to minutes and before either party was aware of it, the young couple tumbled over a pile of dusty text books and spilled to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs. Laughing joyously, Ellie pushed Draco onto his back. Draco looked up at her, his blonde hair mused from her fingers and the fall.

“Why did you bring me here, Draco? If I did not know you better I would think you had dishonorable intentions.” Ellie’s eyes flashed with passion and mischief.

Draco’s heart thudded to an unexpected lurch. Why had he brought her to this horrible place? The room where he toiled hours away to no avail. Where all his worst fears grew bigger and harder to contain. Rolling out from underneath a surprised Ellie, he stood up and offered her his hands.

He swallowed to prevent his words from coming out as a rasp. “I want to show you something.”