Pure-Blood? I'm B Positive

I resumed my classes the weekend after my night with Neville. Mostly people left me alone, they didn't know how to deal with me. Every time somebody mentioned Isobel's name I froze with anger. They spoke about her as if they were her closest friends. Half of them used to snigger every time she lifted her hand in class; they're all fake. I tried to focus hard on my studies to take my mind off of the things that I couldn't control. Without Isobel I was at the top of all of my classes, I'd like to think she would be proud of me for that. I hadn't seen Keeran at all for the entire period, since that morning it was like he had disappeared, evaporated into thin air. I repeatedly asked Meredith about him, but she didn't know much - he'd been staying in his dorm, only leaving for meals and lessons. He was scared to approach me, he too felt the burden of Isobels death, repeatedly blaming himself and hating himself for what has happened. The school was on high alert, spells and defence systems has been put up to stop anybody from entering without permission; despite our victory the terrorists were winning. The fear their movement had put into the world was their own twisted victory. Many of Rafi's followers were still out there; hiding, waiting for another megalomaniac to lead them.

The more I thought about it the more inspired I felt. I knew the war against evil was never going to end; there are always men like Rafi lurking, waiting for people to kneel to them. It was a constant fight, and therefore you needed a constant strength inside of you to fight; I wanted Isobel's spirit to be my constant strength. Keeran needed a constant strength, he was so weak, too weak.
"Hey Jaime, have you seen Keeran?" I shouted to Jaime - he shared a dorm with Keeran.
"I saw him walking up towards the dark tower, in a bit of hurry if you ask me." Jaime answered as he trotted up the stairs to their dorm room. Puzzled I headed through the castle towards the dark tower, it was quite small and hardly ever used - I had no idea what would take him there.
My legs began to quicken as I felt in my gut something was not right. Had Keeran gone back onto Rafi's side? Was he meeting somebody up there? I was at the base of the tower and could hear nothing, no mumbled voices, or echoing foot steps. I grabbed hold of the banister and used it for added balance as I charged up the steps, my legs burning by the time I reached the top. Keeran was stood at the window of the small tower, facing out to the cold night air.
"Keeran?" I took in deep breaths, trying to hide my fatigue from running up the spiral stairs. He didn't move an inch, he continued to stare out of the window like a statue. It was eerie, the way he stood as the wind blew his hair and clothes ferociously, making him look even more stationary in comparison.
I took a few small steps forward, reaching out my arm slowly towards him.
"It's so cold up here, what are you doing?" I could hear the quiver in my voice but could do nothing to prevent it, exposing my worry.
"Just leave, Araina." He spoke through gritted teeth, I could imagine the expression painted on his face despite his back facing me.
"Why, Are you expecting someone? I swear to god if you have gone back on your word I will throw you out of that window." I said angry, with a shaking lip.
"You won't have to. I'm going to jump." Keeran muttered before beginning to climb onto the slim window ledge. Instinct made me run to him, I grabbed hold of the collar of his robe with one hand and gripped his upper arm with the other. Before I knew what was happening he was on the floor of the tower with me blocking the window.
"Not today, not ever. Not whilst I'm still here." I shook my head at him repeatedly, still reeling in shock at his revelation. I could feel a lump in my throat forming as I thought of Keeran's body splattered on the stone courtyard below. Maybe if only I was a minute longer, maybe if I hadn't ran up those stairs.
"Why would it matter? You should hate me! It's my fault. Isobel, the castle, all those people injured, dead because of me!" He broke into tears before he could continue, screaming through sobs as he punched the floor. I could see his hand shaking more with each hit. The sound of his knuckles hitting the cold stone flooring made my stomach turn.
"Just stop! Please!" I screamed, before kneeling down beside him and restraining him. "I thought it was my fault. It was my plan, my decision. But without that plan, many more would have died; Isobel would have been one of them... in the end, if we let him win." I weakened my grip on him, hoping he would have calmed down. "Doing this would have done nothing. Achieved nothing." I sat in silence, my arms still around Keeran as I swam in my own thoughts.
"It would have stopped this feeling I have inside me, I can't shake it." Keeran spoke, his voice breaking every other word.
"Neither can I! Isobel was my first and best friend, and I failed her. She died too soon, too innocent. But before that she lived, and she had so much light in her, the only way I can keep that light alive is by carrying it in me. If I killed myself, then it would just mean another grave, more tears from those left behind." I paused to compose myself.
"But with me there is nobody left behind." Keeran scoffed, wiping his face of tears. Once I had processed the words he said all I could see was red. My arm raised and came down on him in a fast motion, my flat hand slapped him across his cold wet cheek. The sound rung in my ears for seconds after, as Keeran sat shocked by my reaction. I stood up, leaving him crouched on the floor.
"Nobody? What about me? Huh? If you did this I would have two deaths on my head; you and Isobel. We wen't through all of this together, and you were prepared to just leave this world thinking that didn't mean anything? That I didn't care? If I didn't care I would have told the Order to take you straight to Azkaban. Now get up and come speak to Draco with me, or I swear to god..." I screamed at him, my vision blurry from tears and my face hot from the rage within me.
He sat there looking at me, like a lost child; worried and alone. He slowly stood up and hesitantly embraced me, I returned the hug, rubbing the top of his back supportively.

Silently we walked towards Draco's office, passing the Slytherin common room and the dungeons. I knocked on the door, feeling suddenly awkward for bringing Keeran to see Draco so formally.
Draco opened the door, his tie slack and hair ruffled - it was quite late, maybe he was sleeping.
"Araina, what's wrong?" Draco peered around the door, noticing I wasn't alone.
"I think he needs your help." I stepped to the side, so Keeran could enter first. He gave a deep sigh, the quiver still there from all the crying done previous. Draco nodded, noticing the disheveled clothes, and streaky face, that was red on one side from my slap. Keeran entered his office slowly, hesitate to sit down on the old leather chair Draco offered him. I closed the door and remained stood as Draco pulled up an old battered stool from the corner to sit across from Keeran.
"So what has happened?" Draco asked, turning his attention back to me.
"Keeran is a little lost. I found him up the dark tower earlier, ready to throw himself off. He's-"
"Right here, you know? I can hear every word you're saying!" Keeran interjected, before sniffling and rubbing his face, making it look even more red and puffy.
"Well why don't you tell him? He'll understand, trust me." I spoke softly, feeling slightly guilty for the deep red mark on his cheekbone.
"She's right. We all have done things in our past we regret, but if we ended our life we would have no way to prove that we had the potential to grow, to make better choices." Draco has his undivided attention on Keeran, as did Keeran on him. Keeran took a deep breath and managed to calm himself down in preparation to tell Draco everything.
"I'll leave you two to it? I'm going to go see Neville for a bit, but I'll meet you back in the common room later, okay?" I asked, not sure whether Keeran wanted me there of not. He nodded and smiled in response, before turning back to Draco.

I felt a little selfish leaving Keeran after what had just happened, but I wanted to see Neville, more than I would care to admit. I slowly made my way to his office, brushing my hair with my fingers and trying to smooth down the stubborn fly-aways. He was sat waiting for me when I knocked. I told him all that has happened that evening, Neville smiled in response, with pride in his eyes he told me how I had saved a life today. I felt so relaxed in his presence; all of my worries melted down like the candles in the room as we talked and laughed. Hours must has passed but I didn't care, time couldn't touch us here, not now.
"Why can't you just lock that door and we never leave, huh? We just hide away and ignore everything?" I said jokingly, my head resting on Nevilles chest.
"Because we don't have it in us to ignore. Sometimes I wish I could ignore everything; be oblivious to the evil, ignorant to the truth." Neville scoffed, his fingers playing with my hair, occasionally pulling at a knot.
"And what is the truth?" I asked, my voice quiet and soft as his fingers slowly lulled me to sleep.
"That i'm your teacher, and you're my student." His voice was filled with such regret, my heart sank forcing me to lift my head from his chest.
"Not here." My gaze darted from his eyes to his lips, I moved my face closer until I could feel his breath on me. Neville moved his face to meet mine, our lips locking. Suddenly I was elsewhere; my mind travelling through all the endless possibilities, places and times we could share, memories that would be ours. But as his lips left mine, they all faded; it would never be ours. Just then, as I stared at his face, my lips still open, I heard the click of the door and the distant tap of foot steps.
"Didn't you lock the door?" Neville asked, hearing the same as I had.
I shook my head, my body frozen with fear.